A Smitten Kitten & A Lovestruck Princess
by ScarletRedfox
Summary: Marichat Drabbles & One Shots ranging from Romance to Humor and all inbetween! :) Hope you enjoy my pawsome readers ;) Ratings: K-T Hints of LadyNoir, Adrienette, Ladrien, Tikki & Plagg. For the full cover Picture, please go to my WeHeartIt account under "DragonRedfox" :)
1. A Jealous Cat

**A/N: My first** fanfic in the Miraculous fandom, but I've been a fan for far longer ^.^ A friend requested me to finally write something about **Marichat** so I decided to give it a try. Since it's my first fic about them, please feel free to give out any suggestions on improvement! :) **Accepting prompts!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Miraculous Ladybug or any of its characters!**

 **Prompt: Chat Noir is jealous of Nathaniel**

 **Rating: K+**

 ** _Enjoy!_**

* * *

 ** _A Jealous Cat_**

Chat Noir searched high and low, swinging his baton and jumping from tree to tree, scanning the area where the akuma attack had just been moments ago.

Ladybug had purified the akuma, but there were still civilians around and he had to make sure they were all alright since his lady had important business to return to. The attack happened in the area near their school, maybe some of his classmates were around.

He knew one thing – he _did_ see Marinette before the akuma rampaged, but then she disappeared and he thought she might have searched for cover just as Ladybug appeared, ready to engage their foe.

Seeing the familiar girl in the park near his school, he quickly headed in her direction, "Marinette! Are you al-" stopping mid-sentence, Chat Noir landed on his feet and retracted his baton, tilting his head to the side as he watched the scene before him.

Marinette, looking disheveled, helped up a dazed Nathaniel, the red head immediately blushing when he noticed their close proximity and her hand on his shoulder and chest, steadying him. He blushed even more when Marinette placed her hand against his forehead, thinking he may be running a fever due to the redness on his cheeks.

A low, rumbling sound reverberated somewhere deep within his chest and Adrien was startled by the sound. Did he just…. _growl_? He shook his head, walking over to the pair.

"Are you alright, Nathaniel? Did the akuma hurt you?" a tingling sensation shot down Chat's spine, the tone of her voice sounded familiar, a bit like his lady when she would be worried over civilians or himself.

Nathaniel still looked a bit dazed, though more so from the girl before him than the actual akuma attack itself, "I-I'm fine, M-Marinette, " his gaze roved over her figure and his eyes slanted in concern, "Are you hurt a-anywhere?"

To Chat Noir's relief, she shook her head but his eyes narrowed suspiciously when she absentmindedly gripped at her forearm, where the cloth of her jacket was slightly torn, "I'm fine, Nath,"

Chat Noir bristled, feeling the hair on the back of his neck standing on end.

 _Nath_? He never noticed they were that close. At least, whenever he was in class they didn't really seem to talk much except for group projects or the occasional greeting.

"Marinette!" his civilian side felt guilty for the disappointed look on Nathaniel's face when he saw the leather clad superhero, but his Chat Noir side grinned in glee and he couldn't explain it either. Maybe it was Plagg's influence, "I was looking everywhere for you, are you hurt?" his concern was genuine and he dared her to lie to him, her hand still protectively hiding the torn part of her jacket.

She smiled up at him and his expression softened, "Chat Noir! I'm fine kitty," automatically, her gaze scanned her surroundings, "Uh, where is Ladybug?" she smiled nervously and he sensed her unease.

Was she afraid? But the akuma was defeated...

He scratched at the back of his neck, messing up his hair even more, "She left early to check on things," his attention shifted to her arm, "Are you sure you're alright?" he inclined his head toward the spot she was clutching onto.

Marinette froze, looking like a deer caught in headlights as she laughed it off, "Yes, yes, I'm fine don't worry! Thank you for saving us Chat Noir," she suddenly looked at his ring, "A-ah, don't you have somewhere to be?" looking at his ring and seeing only three paw spots, he looked back at her.

"I've got time," he could see she was trying to downplay her injury and he was determined to see it even if he risked his identity. His gaze slid over to Nathaniel, "What about you?"

The young student look startled, "I-I'm fine," he cleared his throat.

Chat Noir nodded, scanning his figure briefly before deciding he was indeed alright. His gaze shifted to Marinette, eyes narrowed and arms crossed over his chest, "Is there something you aren't telling me, princess?"

His lips stretched into a smug smile when Nathaniel looked like he nearly suffered a heart attack, "P-Princess?" he stared at Marinette and the girl looked like she would either want the ground to swallow her up or hit Chat Noir with her bag.

The leather clad hero grinned devilishly and slid right up to Marinette, draping one arm around her shoulders casually, his grin wicked, "Yeah, my _pawsome_ _purrincess_! When I'm with her I'm _feline_ good-"

"I-It's just a joke!" Marinette slapped her forehead, her nervous glance at Nathaniel turned into a soft glare in Chat Noir's direction, "Chat Noir-"

He cut her off, removing his arm from her and now stepping in front of her to look seriously into her eyes, "You're injured, Marinette," she was startled at how gentle he was when he pried away her hand to assess the damage on her forearm.

There was a small cut there, but nothing serious, he looked into her eyes again seriously, "You don't need to hide anything from me, after all my purrincess' safety is my first pawriority," he smiled and winked at her and for a moment, Marinette forgot her annoyance, offering the superhero a smile in return.

Nathaniel watched the exchange with surprise, how did Marinette behave so calmly around a superhero? Why were they acting so familiar with each-other? Marinette was usually shy and sweet so how comes she could show her annoyance around someone as Chat Noir?

His miraculous beeped.

Chat Noir frowned, glaring at it. He knew he needed Plagg to recharge but…didn't he wolf down _enough_ camembert before?

"Well, looks like it's time for a little nap for this cat," he tapped his beeping ring playfully, "Marinette, Nathaniel, you guys should go back to school and get that treated, alright?" he looked meaningfully at the girl and she nodded.

"Will do, Chat Noir. See you around," she smiled and waved.

Chat grinned, giving her a two-finger salute as he extended his staff, "See ya!" and propelled himself into the air onto a nearby roof, leaping out of sight.

Marinette sighed, shaking her head until Nathaniel's face scrunched up in confusion, "How did he know my name?" Marinette's eyes widened in surprise.

"Huh…good question, maybe he heard it from one of our friends during the akuma attack?" she smiled and both teens started walking back toward their school.

" _Phew…that was close,"_ Marinette gripped her arm, " _That would have been a lot worse without Tikki protecting me,"_ she looked over her shoulder in the direction Chat disappeared to, " _He didn't seem to notice anything, he probably didn't notice my injury as Ladybug either,"_ she sighed in relief.

* * *

Adrien tapped his foot rapidly on the floor, looking annoyed as ever with his kwami, "Plagg! You ate not even ten minutes ago!" the youth rubbed at his forehead exasperatedly.

The black cat kwami swallowed down the apple-sized slice of camembert, looking unamused at his charge, "You know I'm always hungry after a battle," he sighed dreamily, savoring the delectable, smelly cheese in his mouth.

Adrien rolled his eyes, "Yeah, right." Adrien shuffled his feet, moving his weight from one foot to the next nervously, "Uh, Plagg…" the kwami lazily opened an eye in response, "Did you…feel anything weird when I saw Marinette and Nathaniel earlier?"

The black kwami seemed to think, yawning lazily as he floated in mid-air, "Nathaniel? Oh, you mean that red haired kid? He kinda looked like a tomato to me…" Adrien sent him a disapproving glare, "What? Did you see the shade of his hair?" the look intensified, "Fine, fine." The small cat rolled his eyes, "Anything weird? You mean your jealousy?"

A large, fanged smirk crossed Plagg's face and Adrien jumped, "Huh? Wha-what?! Jealousy? I wasn't _jealous_!"

Plagg turned his back to him, floating calmly with a smirk, "Whatever you say but jealousy killed the cat,"

Adrien huffed, "It's _curiosity_ killed the cat and you know it," he crossed his arms, now turning around so he had his back to Plagg, "Of course I wasn't jealous, Marinette and Nathaniel are my friends,"

Plagg rose an eyebrow, "Friends? You barely talk to tomato child and Marinette has the worst case of stuttering recorded in history around you!"

Adrien faltered, scratching at the back of his neck, "Well…"

The cat kwami shrugged, "You asked me and I answered you. It didn't come from me though," he smirked.

Adrien frowned, thinking intently on the feeling he experienced as Chat. He didn't really know what compelled him to hog Marinette like that in front of Nathaniel, but whatever it was, Adrien was determined to not let it show again.

Whatever it was.

 **Thank you all for reading and please leave a review! :)**


	2. Powerless

**A/N:** Hello again dear readers! :) Another chapter coming up! Hope you enjoy!

 **Prompt: Marinette is a magnet for trouble and has to rely on Chat Noir to save the day!**

 **Rating: K+**

* * *

 ** _Powerless_**

Fighting an akuma with her partner was one thing, but fighting an akuma without super powers _or_ her partner was completely different.

Trying her best to avoid the destructive beams fired only seconds after her footsteps, Marinette knew she needed to find a secluded place to transform or otherwise this could end up really bad.

Running around a corner, Marinette dived for the nearest object for cover, which was so conveniently a trash can. Hiding behind the smelly container, Marinette automatically reached down to find Tikki in her bag, her blood ran cold when the little red kwami didn't fly out of it.

Slapping her forehead in frustration, Marinette silently berated herself, "How can I be so _stupid_?" she growled, stilling when she heard the akuma coming closer.

 _"_ _Of course, Tikki isn't here! She has a fever, remember?"_ Marinette silently hoped that the akuma had been too busy zapping other things and making them disappear to notice where Marinette had turned the corner.

Unfortunately for her, luck wasn't on her side today as the reassuring cover of the trash can suddenly disappeared behind her.

She jumped, scrambling to her feet as the akuma, a floating boy with two vacuum-like hands, snickered at her sinisterly, "Did you really think hiding behind some filthy trash is going to stop me from finding you? Unfortunately for you, I vacuum everything that is unclean and you're very unclean," Marinette groaned.

It was true, her shoes were soiled from the dusty terrain after running blocks outside during P.E. and her pants suffered small spots of paint after art class, in her defense, Alya thought it funny to splash a bit more color on her friend since all she wore was 'pink and black' all the time.

In all honesty, Marinette hadn't minded but right now, she would have thought twice about letting Alya paint her like that.

The akuma also _had_ to be a clean freak living in a 'unclean' world after his idea got rejected of wrapping everything in clean plastic foil and vacuum the streets from any grime and dirt and trash.

Oh if _only_ she had her superpowers right now-

"Marinette!" the sudden call of her name startled her, enough to lose her footing the minute the Vacuumer, like the akuma introduced himself earlier, started sucking her in with his right hand while the left one prepared to zap her away.

Anything that didn't fit into his right hand he zapped away with his left and Marinette wasn't too keen on either option.

Wait…

"Chat Noir!" she glanced up, in time to see the leather clad hero jump down from a roof and swing at the akuma with his staff, nearly hitting him if it weren't for the fast reflexes of said boy.

Chat Noir stood protectively in front of Marinette and she couldn't remember the last time being so happy to see him, "Chat Noir! Thank goodness you're here," she didn't care that she sounded breathless and was probably stroking his already far too large ego, but at that moment, she really _was_ glad he was here.

The cat boy turned his head to flash her a quick smile, "Long time no see Marinette," he turned his attention back to the enraged akuma, "Good thing I came, I saw you were in a bit of a sucky situation," he chuckled at his own joke and Marinette resisted the urge to say something to him she normally did as Ladybug.

Instead, she said this, "Watch out!"

Chat immediately leapt out of the line of fire just as the Vacuumer tried to zap him away, snarling at his failed attempt, "Ugh! Stop moving! You're a dirty street cat, let me take you away from this clean world!"

Chat raised his staff, going into a offensive position as he scaled the walls opposite of the floating akuma, "Sorry but this cat isn't in the bag just yet!" he slammed his staff down on the large glass container at the akuma's back, momentarily stunning him as the Vacuumer stumbled to the ground and landed on his device.

"No! How dare you!" the Vacuumer's eyes glowed fiercely, oh he was _angry_.

Chat Noir quickly landed beside Marinette and without further ado, scooped her up in his arms, extending his staff and jumping away as long as the akuma was still unable to attack them.

Jumping from roof to roof, Marinette clung to his neck for dear life. Usually, she had no problems jumping and swinging from one high place to another as Ladybug, but she also didn't have to be carried by Chat Noir like that either. She was an additional burden in his arms, how could he move so fast while carrying her?

She remembered asking herself the same thing when he saved her from the Gamer a while back too.

"Princess?" Chat Noir's soft voice brought her out of her reverie as he stared down at her, "Are you alright?"

Dumbly, she nodded, clutching tighter at his neck as he jumped down to another lower roof, before finally stopping. Opening her eyes, Marinette saw where he stopped, it was on the roof of her own house.

"Chat?" carefully, the superhero placed her back on her feet, scanning her for any injuries before deeming her safe enough to stand on her own feet.

"I'm sorry princess, but duty calls," before he could rush off again, Marinette gripped onto his tail tightly, causing the hero to stop dead in his tracks.

"W-wait!" she dropped his tail, her face full of concern, "How will you fight the akuma without Ladybug? It's too dangerous Chat Noir!" she tried to make him understand but he just sent her a calm smile.

He stepped closer to her and gripped her shoulders, squeezing gently to reassure her, "Don't worry princess, Ladybug should be here any second, I'll be fine. Besides, what kind of superhero would I be if I can't handle a vacuum cleaner?" he grinned his Chat smile but Marinette's worry spiked.

 _You don't understand. Ladybug won't be coming Chat. She_ _ **can't**_ _come._

Instead of voicing her thoughts, Marinette gripped one of his hands that still rested on her shoulders, "Promise me…" the feline hero perked up, "P-promise me that you will come back here and I'll see you in one piece," she looked at him imploringly, willing him to break the promise.

Chat Noir was momentarily startled by her sudden request, seeing the strong concern reflected in her eyes, directed at _him_ no less.

Gathering his composure, he smiled easily, giving her shoulder a last squeeze before grabbing his staff again, "Cat's honor, purrincess," he winked at her, sending her a last soft, reassuring look before he was jumping his way through Paris.

Marinette frowned deeply, "Chat Noir…"

 _I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry Chat Noir, what kind of hero am I that can't even help her partner? Please be safe Chat Noir._

His easy-going smile resurfaced in her mind and Marinette's legs trembled, "Please…" her quiet whisper was heard by none but it sounded so loud, even to her own ears.

She prayed she would see her kitty again soon.

 **Thank you all for reading, leave a review and tell me what you thought! Too OOC?**


	3. Flowers for Mari

**A/N:** Hey again :) Now, this particular chapter is from one of my own ideas about Marichat. ^^ Hope you enjoy!

 **ANSWERS TO REVIEWS:**

 **Guest:** Hi there, thanks for reading my story! :3 And you're right, they should definitely show it more in the show! More Marichat in general! ;)

 **Marichat4Life:** Thank you so much for the kind compliments! :) Ahh, I really like your suggestions! Thank you kindly for reading my Authors Note and answering ^^ Sometimes I run out of ideas so it's always good to hear when readers have some :)

 **Prompt: Chat Noir decides to visit his favorite Parisian with a little gift.**

 **Rated: T**

* * *

 **Flowers for Mari**

Chat Noir was restless.

His lady had just gone with the second beep of her Miraculous with a ' _bye chaton'_ and a swing of her yoyo. For once, Chat Noir didn't need to use his Cataclysm in this akuma battle, only his enhanced eyesight and a little cat-like reflexes, so his miraculous wasn't depleted yet.

The akuma had been someone called _Noirette_ after all, a woman who wanted to bathe the whole world in darkness, so no one could ever say she looked ugly in black ever _again_. Chat Noir shook his head, sometimes, akuma's were just very hard to understand.

Balancing on the edge of the Eiffel tower, Adrien looked at his beloved city, having everything in his perfect view.

He admired the beautiful architecture of the buildings, he admired how the children playing together near the fountain could have so much fun with a little water and he admired the way smiles lit up on adults' faces when seeing the spectacle.

Then, his keen eyes spotted a flower shop next to a boutique. Hmm…maybe he should get flowers for his lady?

He sighed dreamily, " _Hm…maybe Ladybug might appreciate the gesture,"_ a small, impish smile stretched his lips, then again…

He remembered the last time he had given her a red rose, granted it had been from a vase in the mansion while they were fighting Antibug, or Chloe, and she hadn't reacted all that well… she hadn't reacted much at all.

Alright, so no flowers. Maybe chocolates or pastries?

Almost immediately, a certain girl's bakery sprung up in his mind and Chat Noir's smile fell.

Marinette…

She had looked a bit sad the last time he saw her, but she had tried playing it cool, telling him not to worry about 'just another civilian in Paris' like that with his superhero agenda.

Chat Noir jumped down from the Eiffel Tower, his staff slamming down on the concrete as he effortlessly swung himself toward the flower shop.

The elderly saleswoman jumped, surprised from one of Paris' superheroes giving her a visit, " _Bonjour,_ Chat Noir! W-what can I do for you?" the woman seemed to have difficulties not asking him for an autograph and Chat Noir smiled politely.

" _Bonjour mademoiselle_ ," the hero clad in leather looked around, spotting several flowers that caught his eye, "I would like to buy some flowers."

Chat Noir smiled, a select few already caught his interest.

* * *

"I don't know what to do, Tikki…" the little red kwami anxiously followed after her charge as she stepped out into the balcony to water her flowers, "What if Alya is right?"

Tikki frowned, floating beside her, "But is that such a bad thing Marinette?"

Marinette sighed again, blue eyes sad, "I don't really know….I mean I like Adrien," she bit her bottom lip, "But Nathaniel is a good friend too and I would never hurt his feelings like that," she looked at her kwami, gaze pleading, "And I don't want to give him any false hopes either…oh Tikki what do I do?"

The red kwami chewed thoughtfully on her chocolate cookie, big blue eyes looking at her charge imploringly, "I think you should give him a chance Marinette, he is really nice and helpful. He reminds me a bit of you because of his shyness," she giggled, "And his drawings are amazing!"

" _I know!_ " Marinette threw her hands up in the air, almost spilling water over herself from the green can as she hefted it into the air in her frustration, "I really like his art and he's so nice, but…I don't know if I can return his feelings," she frowned, distressed at herself, "I know what it's like liking someone that's too far out of your reach but I'm just plain old Marinette…he should like someone better than me," she whispered quietly, the motion of watering the flowers having a calming effect on her as she watched the streams of water gently fall on the flowers.

"Did I hear something about unrequited _felines_?"

Marinette jumped, wait….she _knew_ that voice…and that _pun_!

"C-Chat Noir?!" she quickly looked to her left and nearly sagged in relief when she didn't see Tikki anymore. The red kwami must have sensed Chat Noir approaching. Marinette made a mental note to be more careful about being out on her balcony with Tikki.

"At your service, my lady!" ignoring the familiar expression he used to refer to her alter ego, Marinette sighed, Chat's ears lightly lowered and his voice lost some of its playful tune, "Did I come at a bad time?"

Quickly shaking her head, Marinette smiled, "No, it's alright kitty," she offered him a kind smile and noticed he was holding something behind his back, "What's that you're hiding?"

Chat grinned again and in a fluid motion produced the bouquet of flowers from behind his back, holding them in both hands.

Marinette stared, dumbstruck, the water from her watering can pouring down to the ground, "Uh…princess?" Chat stared at the puddle at her feet before waving a hand in front of her stunned face, "Helloo, earth to Marinette," he waved his hand in front of her face, confused at why she was suddenly so shell shocked. Was it the flowers? Were they ugly? Did he pick well?

The girl blinked before jumping, "H-huh?" and suddenly, he saw a glimpse of the nervous side of Marinette he only ever experienced as Adrien at school, "F-for me?" she gestured dumbly to the flowers, shell shocked.

Keeping his cool beneath his sweaty mask, Chat Noir bowed smoothly, "Flowers for Mari," he flashed her a bright grin and his chest felt warm at the soft look on her face as she took the bouquet of flowers from his hands.

Their fingers touched briefly, and both jumped at the electricity suddenly shooting up their arms and running down their spines.

Marinette pulled the flowers close to her, stunned at the gift in her hands, "T-They're beautiful, Chat Noir," she looked at him and smiled genuinely, "Thank you kitty," she stepped close to him and lightly scratched underneath his chin and he had to do everything in his power to keep the satisfying purr from rising in his throat.

"You're welcome, purrincess," he winked and Marinette huffed, her normal attitude around him resurfacing, "I almost thought the cat got your tongue at the way I made you _speechless_ ,"

Rolling her eyes, Marinette placed the watering can on the ground to rest a hand on her hip, "Very funny Chat Noir." She smiled, "I was more surprised that a busy superhero such as you actually takes the time to visit a simple citizen of Paris like me," she smirked.

The cat looked at her disapprovingly, sensing the sadness she tried hiding behind their usual banter, "Is something wrong, purrincess?" he observed her, noting the forced smile on her lips.

"No, nothing's wrong kitty, don't worry," she offered him a smile but he didn't buy it.

He held his hands up, "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to, but I know a thing or two about one sided love," he gave her a small grin but this time, it was him that was forcing on a smile.

Marinette tensed, knowing exactly about who he was talking about.

Ladybug.

Nervously shifting her weight, Marinette sighed, "It's…it's actually about a boy from my class…" she moved to lean against the balcony railing, Chat Noir following suit beside her, listening intently, "He's…he's really kind and sweet, and a good friend, and he can draw _really_ well," she growled, hiding her face in her hands, "But I think he likes me! Or at least, Alya said he did…"

Chat tensed, immediately the image of Nathaniel entered his mind.

So, Nathaniel really did like Marinette, huh? He had to admit, he had seen a few fleeting signs, but he never thought it was anything serious.

He cleared his throat, "Ah, the artist, it's…Nathaniel, right?" she nodded and he smiled, "What's wrong about that? He seemed nice enough," Adrien had to cringe at his own tone, it was… _tense_.

" _Just what is wrong with me? It's not like I have anything against Nathaniel,"_ Marinette's voice ripped Adrien from his thoughts.

"Nothing is _wrong_ but…" she looked up at him and her big blue eyes were sad, "…I like him as a friend," Chat Noir crossed his arms.

 _As a friend._

Fighting down the sudden, unfamiliar rush of relief, Chat shifted, "Did…did you tell him that?"

His ears perked up, "N-no…I'm scared to hurt him," she frowned, gazing sadly down at the beautiful flowers in her hands.

Chat smiled, "Don't be, Mari," her head snapped up and her eyes widened in surprise.

 _Mari._

Chat had started calling her that lately, not that she really minded.

"If he likes you, he will continue to like you even if you tell him you can't return his feelings," his gaze changed, something achingly familiar about it as he gazed at the darkening sky, "It's something you can't really control, but it will stay there…maybe for a short while or for a really long time," he straightened, clearing his throat, "Anyway, I think you should give him a chance," something burned in his throat when he said that but he stubbornly fought it down, "See how it goes, maybe it…will be nice,"

He shrugged, smiling at her.

There was a brief moment of silence before Marinette suddenly hugged him, face buried against his chest and her voice muffled, "Thank you so much _chaton_ ,"

 _Chaton_

Oddly enough, his lady appeared in his mind the moment Marinette said the endearment. Huh…odd.

Smiling, Chat was about to hug her back before Marinette suddenly broke away and he hastily pulled his hands to his sides, grinning nervously down at her as she beamed up at him with a smile.

Smelling the flowers, she looked happier than before, "Um, I don't know if you still have patrol or anything to do-"

He suddenly cut her off, a little too quickly, "No," he choked, "I mean no, no," he mentally slapped himself for the slip up.

Marinette blinked before smiling, "How about some cookies and a round of Ultimate Mecha Strike III?" she grinned mischievously, playfulness shining in her eyes.

Chat grinned, chancing a look at his miraculous, "Sounds _purrfect_ to me," Marinette smiled and invited him into her room.

* * *

Marinette woke up the next morning feeling far better about herself than she had yesterday, all thanks to a certain sneaky, competitive cat.

She giggled, recalling the events of the past evening.

She had beaten him three times in a row and he had whined about his bad luck, all the while stuffing chocolate chip cookies and croissants in his mouth.

She had teased him mercilessly and for once, she didn't mind the puns. They made her laugh, strangely enough.

She stretched and Tikki flew out of her hiding place to greet her cheerfully, "Good morning Marinette!" she noticed the beaming smile on her charge's face, "You seem to be in a good mood!"

Marinette smiled, "Good morning Tikki! I am actually…better than yesterday," she giggled.

Tikki smirked, "Was it because of a certain kitty?"

Marinette blushed unwillingly, playfully swatting at the laughing kwami, "Tikki! Don't be ridiculous, Chat Noir is just my partner," she crossed her arms, noticing the flowers she had put in a vase after Chat Noir had left yesterday.

Tikki noticed her gaze and smiled, "Sure, whatever you say Marinette," she giggled.

For the first time since receiving them, Marinette noticed what different colors the flowers had.

The bouquet was composed of three layers, the outermost layer was surrounded with blue irises and she vaguely recalled reading something about the color blue in flowers standing for peace and serenity.

The second layer was made up of white roses, standing for innocence and simple beauty.

She blushed at the innermost layer where a single rose lay in the middle.

It was red, the color of love.

"He _liiikesss_ you!"

" _Tikki!_ "

The red kwami laughed, flying away from her embarrassed charge and her attempts to grab her.

One thing she had to confess, leave it to Plagg to pick such bold colors. Though this time, she had a hunch Plagg wasn't the only one that had been bold yesterday.

Maybe her charge wasn't the only one with unrequited feelings.

 **Ok, Tikki teasing Marinette like that? I confess, I got influenced by Fairy Tail's Happy about the whole 'She liiikeessss you' thing, I found it fitting to add it here. Anymore suggestions are as always appreciated! :)**


	4. Bad Luck

**A/N:** Back again with a new chapter, honestly I'm _far_ from good at writing for the Miraculous fandom, but just give me any pointers if you feel the characters are too OOC! Thanks everyone!

 **ANSWERS TO REVIEWS:**

 **Demi clayton:** Hi there! Thanks for reading my little collection so far! :3 And thank you for the kind words, I'll do my best! :)

 **Prompt: Marinette finds a black kitty and she realizes, black cats aren't always bad luck…or are they?**

* * *

 ** _Bad Luck_**

"Did you _see_ him, Alya? Ohh, Adrien looked as perfect as always today!" Marinette swooned, cupping her flushed cheeks.

Alya gave her friend a weird look, a small smirk on her lips, "Girl, he looks the same as always, sometimes I wonder if he even changes his clothes with the same ones he wears nearly every day," she started to laugh at the mortified look on Marinette's face.

"Wha-? A-Alya what are you _saying_?! _Of course_ , he changes his clothes! He just must have…a really big wardrobe with many identical ones…" Marinette couldn't help but laugh her friend's teasing off, the two girls giggling as they headed home from school.

A sudden loud, mewling noise made them both stop and in front of them, just a few feet away, was a small black kitten, mewling loudly and looking last.

"Poor kitty…" Marinette mumbled, immediately walking ahead and kneeling down in front of the frightened kitten, who tensed at her arrival.

Marinette smiled, slowly, cautiously, extending her hand out for the kitten to sniff at. It did, slowly sniffing her hand and the underside of her fingers, before finally, rubbing its head into the palm of her hand, purring quietly.

The girl giggled and Alya shook her head, resting her hands on her hips, "You sure have a thing with cats don't you Marinette?" she smiled.

The secret superhero shrugged, carefully reaching into her bag, winking reassuringly at a worried Tikki before breaking off a piece of the kwami's cookie and offering it to the kitten, "Here kitty, kitty," the kitten sniffed at it, before slowly licking it and eventually nibbling, "I'm sorry, I don't have any milk for you now," she smiled apologetically but the kitten didn't seem to mind.

"Yo, Alya!" both girls suddenly turned around to spot none other than Nino and Adrien walking towards them, Adrien's gaze directed at something behind Alya.

Alya smiled, "Hey guys," she looked at Adrien, "What's up? I thought you guys went home," she rose an eyebrow particularly at Adrien, who shrugged.

"I'm still waiting for the Gorilla to pick me up," he motioned with his thumb toward the school entrance, where still no familiar black car was parked in front of.

Alya nodded, "Oh, I see."

Adrien's gaze immediately flickered to Marinette, "What did you find?"

For once, her attention was primarily directed at the kitten, so Marinette was slightly surprised at her lack of stuttering, "We just found this poor kitty all lost here," she gently rubbed its head and it purred, "Maybe it lost it's mother,"

Adrien kneeled down next to Marinette and stuck his hand out, to Marinette's surprise, the kitten only took a short whiff before immediately nuzzling into Adrien's cradling hand, rubbing its cheeks against his hand and making slow circles all around him, rubbing up against his bent knees.

"Dude, the cat totally likes you!" Nino seemed just as surprised as Alya looked, both friends staring at the spectacle.

Adrien laughed, "I guess…" he ignored the quiet snicker coming from the inside of his jacket.

Marinette's hand suddenly touched Adrien's, right on top of the cat's head and she quickly pulled it back, "S-sorry!"

Stuttering Marinette was back at it again and Alya had to slap her hand against her face, "I-I, uh, I-I'm s-sorry, I-"

Adrien laughed lightly, shaking his head, "It's alright, it looks like he likes you more though," Adrien observed, with no small amount of amusement, how the cat settled itself in-between Marinette's bent knees, rubbing its cheeks against her legs and purring loudly, looking very comfortable.

"H-he?" Marinette blinked, carefully lifting the cats tail and blushed at her own foolishness, "Oh, r-right,"

Marinette flushed, giggling and patting the kitten, "I-I guess,"

Adrien smiled, wanting to say something until the familiar, screeching voice of a certain blonde caught all their attention, " _Adrikins!_ "

Chloe and her ever faithful follower Sabrina trotted toward them, Chloe's face took on a mortified expression when she noticed the small black kitten in-between Adrien and Marinette, "Adrikins! What are you _doing_?! Don't you know black cats bring bad luck!?" immediately she latched onto his arm to pull him up and away from the feline, until the kitten, surprisingly viciously for its age, hissed at Chloe, who immediately backed off with a shriek.

Alya and Nino laughed at the spectacle while Adrien chuckled, the only one not amused was Marinette.

Chloe rounded on her instead, "Ugh, I _knew_ the black cat belongs to you! You're always so clumsy of course you would bring bad luck with you everywhere you went!" Chloe smirked, crossing her arms smugly.

A dark frown settled onto Marinette's features and she stood, cradling the kitten in her arms, "Excuse _me_ , Chloe, but the only one bringing bad luck is _you_!" she glared, standing her ground under Chloe's challenging gaze, "This kitten did nothing to you so you should stop being so mean to it. Just because it has black fur doesn't mean it's followed by bad luck, even bad luck can turn into something good!" the enraged announcement startled everyone present and Chloe quietened down, signaling for Sabrina to follow her as she swiftly made her exit.

Adrien stood now too, stunned, " _Wow, look at her defending black cats! I like her!"_ Plagg's unmistakable muffled voice sounded from inside his jacket and Adrien absentmindedly quietened him down with a small shove against his chest. Involuntarily, he felt warmth spread within his chest.

"Woah, girl you sure told her," Alya looked like a proud mother, grinning and high fiving a equally ecstatic looking Nino.

"Dudette, that was _awesome_!" Marinette smiled shyly at the compliments, smiling when the kitten in her arms purred, as if joining in.

Adrien, not feeling quite like himself, smirked, bowing his head into a familiar pose, "I didn't know the _purrincess_ had such a heart for cats, I'm _pawsitively_ surprised," Adrien righted himself, staring into the stunned looks of his friends, Marinette especially looked disturbed.

Then it dawned on him, " _Crap! I did the Chat thing again!"_ he mentally slapped himself before scratching at the back of his neck, "-Is what Chat Noir would say….right?" he chuckled nervously.

Nino stared at him with unblinking eyes, "Dude…did you practice? Your impression was _great_ ,"

Alya beamed, nodding, " _True_! Maybe I'd hire you for a mini live action movie for the Ladyblog! You could be Chat Noir, now the only thing missing would be a Ladybug," due to the widespread rumors that the two superheroes might be more than just partners, Alya automatically looked at Marinette, grinning devilishly at the plan formulating in her mind to bring her best friend and her crush together.

Marinette snapped out of her daze, "Uh-uh..w-what?" quickly, she dispelled her previous thoughts, " _Ok…I didn't know Adrien was a fan of Chat Noir too…that impression was…way too good,"_

Alya laughed and Adrien cleared his throat, "R-right…um, oh, guess I gotta go! See you guys tomorrow!" Adrien quickly fistbumped Nino and waved at the girls, practically running toward the sleek black car that finally appeared at the school grounds, the Gorilla already waving him over.

With that, Nino bid farewell to the ladies as well and now only Alya and Marinette were left, Alya smiled, placing a hand on Marinette's shoulder and gently scratching the kitten's jaw with the other, "Well, guess I'll talk to you later Mari, the Ladyblog must be updated! I _will_ get that live action movie going!"

Marinette giggled nervously, "Uh, yeah, right. Good luck Alya!" she waved goodbye at her friend before sighing and looking at the purring kitten in her arms.

"Now what am I going to do with you?" the kitten only purred further, nuzzling into the crook of her neck and Marinette sighed, petting it's soft fur.

"Hm…maybe mom and dad won't notice," she looked critically at her small bag, as small as the kitten was, he definitely wouldn't fit in there and she was sure Tikki wouldn't want to be squished either.

Sighing, Marinette quickly rushed to a nearby store…

* * *

"Hi mom, hi dad! I'm home!" Marinette quickly rushed inside the bakery, attempting to breeze past her baking parents until he mother called her and Marinette froze.

"What got you in such a rush sweetie?" Sabine looked at her daughter in amusement, noting the pink dusting her daughter's cheeks, "Is Adrien coming over?"

Marinette yelped in embarrassment, quickly carrying the mewling bag upstairs into her room, "N-no, mom, why would you think that?! I-I just have homework to do! Bye!" hearing the door shut, Sabine sighed.

Tom rose an eyebrow, "Did you hear mewls?"

Sabine looked at her husband with a raised eyebrow, "Mewls? Honey, I think the heat of the oven is getting to you," nevertheless she admitted she _did_ hear mewls from somewhere… "Maybe it was just a street cat outside,"

Tom shrugged.

Maybe…

* * *

Chat Noir was scaling the walls and expertly jumping from roof to roof, grin in place as he laughed and jumped to his heart's content.

 _"_ _Man, Adrien, calm down! What's gotten you all so worked up?"_ Plagg's voice filtered through Adrien's mind and he couldn't help but smile.

"Nothing Plagg, I…just got a few house visits to do," and the black kwami immediately knew to where.

" _Not again! I swear you're like Paris' resident stalker from the friendly neighborhood! Stop stalking the poor girl!"_ Chat's eyes widened in surprise and he almost missed a step while landing on a roof.

"Plagg! It's not like that at all! I'm not stalking her, she's a friend and I haven't paid her any visits in a long time!" he shot back, rolling his eyes.

" _Hpfhm… whatever you say you smitten kitten. It wouldn't hurt if you paid her visits as Adrien too, you know?"_ this time, Adrien couldn't deny the truth in Plagg's words.

"W-well…you know she's always avoiding me…it was a miracle she even talked to me today, maybe I scare her or something…" he scratched at the back of his neck before finally spotting the familiar balcony.

Plagg snorted, " _Right…'scare',"_ Adrien could feel his kwami's annoyance, " _You're hopeless,"_

Adrien pouted, ignoring his kwami as he landed on Marinette's balcony, spotting the mop of dark blue hair immediately.

She turned around and her surprised face greeted him, "Chat? What are you doing here?" the sudden loud mewls coming from somewhere within the house entered his ears and the superhero grinned.

A small black head with familiar cat ears poked its head out, mewling a greeting at Chat Noir after spotting him. Chat Noir grinned, offering a mewl in return, "Ahh, nothing but seeing folk of my own. I see you've been busy," he crossed his arms with a smirk and the kitten sprung up out of the hatch to land on its feet on the balcony, cautiously approaching Chat Noir.

Marinette huffed, following suit as she closed the window to her room, "You could say that," she watched curiously how Chat Noir made himself small, crouching down low, his ears flat against his head as he offered the kitten his hand to sniff.

This time, the kitten barely took a whiff before immediately purring loudly and rubbing it's whole body against him, Chat Noir smirked, gently rubbing beneath the kitten's chin, "Guess he likes me,"

Marinette covered her mouth, laughing.

Chat Noir rose an eyebrow, "What's so funny _purrincess_?"

Marinette's laughter slowly subsided and she shook her head, "Nothing, weird how he barely sniffed you before snuggling you,"

Chat rose an eyebrow, smirk in place, "Jealous?" he wiggled his eyebrows and Marinette shook her head, rolling her eyes.

"Very funny, Chat Noir," she leaned her weight against the iron bars around her balcony, "So, what is Paris' resident feline hero doing here with a mere civilian?"

Chat grinned, bowing his head, the cat at his legs purring as it sat on his feet, looking as comfortable as ever, "I've decided to drop by, see what you were doing. Though, my cat sensors were already tingling when I got here, so I had my suspicions about you possibly meeting with," he paused for dramatic effect, resting a hand on his forehead, "- _another cat superhero!"_ he released a dramatic sob.

Rolling her eyes dramatically, Marinette couldn't help herself, "Oh _no_ , worried I may have a kitty on the side?" she smirked and Chat Noir laughed.

He inspected the purring cat at his feet, "Well, looks like I'm in a bit of a _furry_ situation here," he tried moving his feet, finding it to be impossible without disturbing the purring kitten, "He's a cuddler alright and you know what they say about cuddlers," Marinette gave him a confused look until he said, "Cuddlers keepers,"

She released a short laugh, "I think it's _finders_ keepers, but I'll let you off the hook this once," she smirked, "I found the little guy just outside of my school, he looked hungry and lost so I took him home with me. I'm glad I managed to get a paper bag from a nearby store and hide him in it so my parents wouldn't notice," she blushed in embarrassment and Chat Noir found himself releasing a low whistle.

"Ho, ho, seems like someone's being bold," he grinned his Chat smile at her and she sighed.

"Well…I couldn't exactly leave him just like that and besides," she smiled kindly, "I wouldn't mind having a pet cat, it's nice cuddling every once and a while,"

Chat's ears lowered and his hand moved to his chest, over his heart, "You wound me, princess and I thought I was the only one,"

Marinette narrowed her eyes at him playfully, "But _we_ never cuddled, Chat Noir," she pointed out, amused at his surprised look.

"….Want to catch up on some cuddle sessions then? Since it's you I can make an exception and offer them for free," he winked and grinned, spreading his arms playfully.

Feeling bold and quite curious to see how he would react, Marinette leaned away from her spot at the iron railing and moved towards him to stand right in front of him, "Sure, why not?" she shrugged, attempting to seem indifferent.

As suspected, her kitty clad in leather blushed, ears perked up straight and eyes wide in surprise, "Huh, wait, what you mean it?" he blinked rapidly.

Marinette giggled, unable to help herself, "You started it, kitty," she _knew_ it, he was just bluffing after all.

Swallowing thickly, Chat braced himself until a sudden loud hiss caused the two teens to look down at their feet.

Now on its paws again, the black kitten with its narrowed, yellow eyes seemingly glared at Chat, bearing its teeth.

"Huh?" Marinette crouched down to pick the kitten up, scratching its head lightly, "Hey, what happened to you _mignon_ , hm?" she giggled when the kitten relaxed and purred.

Chat's ears straightened. Huh? _Mignon?_

" _Weird…is Ladybug also visiting Marinette like I do? Did she pick up on some of her manners?"_ shaking his head, Chat Noir prepared to ask her about it until Marinette lifted her head and her bluebell eyes searched his vibrant green ones.

"But I thought he liked you," Marinette looked a bit confused, when she touched Chat's forearm, the kitten hissed again but when she pulled her arm back, it calmed down again.

Chat's eyes widened briefly in realization before he laughed, "Well, it would explain some things. I see what the problem is here, he only likes me when I stay away from you, _purrincess_ ,"

Marinette blinked," Huh?"

Chat smirked, eyeing the angry cat, "You see, us cats are very territorial and get easily jealous. It's only natural considering how much we cherish our loved ones," he wiggled his eyebrows at her and Marinette rolled her eyes.

A thought formed in his mind and Chat steeled himself or what he was about to do, hoping he wouldn't get sent flying through the sky.

The kitten immediately started hissing when Chat draped an arm around Marinette's shoulders and pressed his body closer to hers, nuzzling her hair.

Marinette froze, not knowing what to do with a hissing kitty in her arms and another, suddenly overly affectionate, _much_ bigger kitty pressed at her side, "Chat…what are you doing?" she could feel the warmth his body emitted from his leather suit and it made her far too warm.

"Marking you," the idiot nuzzled his face all over her hair, his nose gently rubbing against the side of her cheek, causing her to involuntarily flush and shiver at the slight ticklish action.

"W-what?!" she nearly shrieked in surprise, stepping back from the smug pun-making hero.

Chat chuckled, "Relax princess." He shot a look at the hissing cat in her arms, "Cats scent mark their property by rubbing their cheeks against them. See my point?" he pointed down at the even more distressed cat, looking absolutely ready to tear Chat to shreds.

Marinette blinked, "Oh…" she suddenly felt a little dumb and embarrassed for wanting to punch him or at least push him away.

"Ah, do I detect a hint of sadness in your tone?" Chat smirked, sliding up next to her again and whispering in her ear, "I can nuzzle you all day if you want _purrincess_ ," the purr rolled off his tongue far too huskily, too _closely_ to her ear and Marinette fought the sudden onslaught of nervousness bubbling in her stomach.

Immediately, in a reflexive movement akin to his lady's, Marinette jabbed her finger against his nose, immediately creating distance between them, "A-ah, no, no, that won't be necessary Chat Noir, I see your point,"

Chat, slightly annoyed and disappointed, rubbed his aching nose, "….I didn't really wanna make a point…" he muttered under his breath, ears lowered to his head in sadness.

"What?" Marinette, hyperaware of everything around her, her ear still tingling and warm from his hot breath.

Chat straightened, "Nothing," he scratched at the back of his neck, eyeing the kitten warily.

The cat in her arms mewled contently now that the 'intruder' was away from his precious human, cuddling up close to Marinette and purring loudly.

A sudden, unwelcome thought shot through his mind, " _Lucky cat,"_ feeling himself flush beneath his mask, Chat quickly composed himself and turned around.

"Right, well, I still got some superhero duties to fulfill. You know, patrolling for the bad guys, making sure Paris is safe and all," he grinned, feeling comfortable again while hiding behind his bravado.

Marinette rolled her eyes, petting her purring kitten, "Right," she stuck her tongue out at his back and quickly reverted to normal when he turned around to face her.

He approached her again and Marinette stiffened, until she relaxed when he lowered his head down to make eye contact with her kitten, "See you later little guy, be sure to look after your lady, alright?" he scratched the kitten beneath the chin, eliciting approving mewls in return.

He straightened, and Marinette became hyperaware of how tall he is, towering over her a good half a head. Chat Noir smirked, as if he knew something she didn't and promptly turned away to grab his staff and extend it, "Well, I'll see you around, _purrincess_ ," he waved, staff extending to propel its master from rooftop to rooftop and soon, out of Marinette's sight.

Finally, she released a sigh, looking down at the feline in her arms, "Guess it's just you and me now huh, _chaton_?" she giggled when the kitten mewled, as if approving of the playful name until her phone suddenly rang.

Marinette picked up and almost immediately, was bombarded with Alya's loud, excited voice, " _GIRL, WE NEED TO TALK!"_

Pulling the phone away from her ear, Marinette slowly brought it closer after making sure Alya wouldn't scream her ear off, "Alya, what's wrong? You sound really-"

" _DAMN RIGHT I AM SURPRISED! SO THAT'S WHAT YOU HAVE BEEN HIDING FROM ME ALL ALONG, I KNEW YOU WERE ACTING SUSPICIOUS!"_ her phone beeped again, signaling a message, " _Look at your phone girl RIGHT NOW, you have some explaining to do!"_

Puzzled, Marinette moved her phone away from her ear to unlock her screen and opening her chat with Alya, eyes widening at what she saw.

She nearly dropped _chaton_ in her shock.

It was a picture of her and Chat Noir, granted it was taken from a distance but upon zooming in, there was no doubt to who the two people were. From the angle, the small black kitten in her arms was invisible, Chat's body was blocking the view, looking like he was hogging her and the worst thing was from this angle, it actually looked like Chat Noir kissed her.

 _"_ _JUST YOU WAIT UNTIL I COME OVER, I'LL GRILL YOU FOR ANSWERS ALL NIGHT! HOW DID YOU EVEN HIDE DATING CHAT NOIR FROM ME?! I'LL HAVE TO IMPLANT A CHIP ON YOU MARINETTE DUPAIN-CHENG!"_ Alya's booming voice made her ears ring but she understood her friend's surprise, after all, _she_ herself was mortified.

"A-Alya i-i-it's not that at all! I-I can explain, it's not what it looks like!" Marinette desperately tried to make her understand, briefly setting Chaton down to the ground and gesturing wildly with her arms.

 _"_ _Your parents let me in, I'm going up Mari, you better be ready for an extended interview!"_

Marinette eeped.

* * *

Adrien sighed, laying sprawled on his bed as Plagg ate his stinky cheese next to him, "How can you stand that smell?" he scrunched his nose in disgust.

Plagg continued munching happily on his camembert, "What smell?"

Adrien rolled his eyes, taking his phone in hand after it kept buzzing every two seconds, "I wonder who's sending me so many messages, let's hope it's not Chloe aga-"

He froze and after not hearing anything for a while, Plagg curiously turned around to regard his charge, "Adrien?" he saw all the color drain from his face, until it became a vivid bright red, staring at his phone in shock.

The little black kwami floated over beside his charge's shoulder, eyes narrowed on the screen of his phone before bursting out into laughter, tumbling down from his shoulder to he soft bed, rolling around in laughter.

Adrien's hand shook.

 _Nino, 6:00 p.m._

 _-"DUDE! You have GOT to SEE this! You will never believe what I just took a snap of!"_

When he scrolled down he saw Nino sent him a picture, but it wasn't just any picture.

It was a picture of him as Chat Noir with Marinette up on her balcony! Just _how_ did Nino even photograph it?!

 _-"Hey dude! Adrien! HELLO! Earth to Adrien Agreste! C'mon answer me man, this is big news! I never knew sweet, little innocent Marinette was dating Chat Noir!"_

 _-"ADRIEN!"_

 _-"Hey! Dude! Where are you? I called you like 50 times! You HAVE to see this! DUDE!"_

 _-"Man, I can't believe Chat Noir actually kissed her! I never knew she had a thing going with one of Paris' superheroes! DUDE ANSWER ME NOW!"_

Ignoring Plagg's rambunctious laughter, Adrien shook his head rapidly and quickly typed in replies furiously.

 _-"I'm here man, I'm here._

 _-"Just…just where did you get this? Are you sure this is real and not photoshopped or something?_

 _-"Nino? Hey Nino, are you there?"_

Three seconds later,

 _-"No way man, no way! That thing's as real as my talent for music!_ _ **I**_ _saw them and had to take a shot before I could question my sanity! I didn't even believe it myself!"_

 _-"I wonder for how long Marinette hid her relationship. Dude, he was KISSING her, like what?!"_

Blushing, Adrien's thumbs rapidly moved over the screen.

 _-"Well, how would you know they actually kissed? Maybe the angle was different and he just…sniffed her or hugged her or something!"_

 _Nino, one minute ago._

 _-"Sniffed her? Adrien, the dude may be in a cat costume but I doubt he acts like a cat and goes around sniffing people and peeing on lamp posts to mark his territory!"_

Adrien flushed brightly and Plagg rolled around on the bed again after he read that particular sentence, "Oh, you're so screwed kid!"

Fighting back a growl, Adrien jammed his fingers against the phone.

 _-"For one, cats don't neccesarily urinate on things to mark their territory, they have special scent glands in their cheeks that's why they rub people or other animals they like with their cheeks and mark their territory that way!_

 _-"Besides, what's so bad about sniffing?"_

Adrien scrunched his nose up, clearly not seeing the problem.

Another beep, a new message from Nino.

 _Nino, 45 seconds ago._

 _-"Are you kidding me, dude?"_

 _-"Look, I get that you like Ladybug and all, but did you HAVE to search up on Chat Noir too? Anyway, back on the topic, you don't really think that the dude was just 'sniffing' her or whatever? That sure looked like a kiss to me! I asked Alya! She says the same!"_

Adrien's eyes widened, Alya?

 _Crap._

Alya must have already bombarded Marinette with questions by now.

 _-"Sorry Nino, gotta run, have shootings to do. Text you later._

There was one last beep before Adrien left his phone on the bed.

 _Nino, two seconds ago._

 _-"Shootings? But dude it's your FREE DAY!_

Pacing about his room, Adrien ran a hand over his hair, "Oh Plagg what do I _do_?" he looked helplessly at his kwami, who barely stifled another fit of laughter, "This isn't funny, Plagg!"

The little cat chuckled, "Oh it sure is to me! I told you, you would get in trouble one day with your obsessive marking behavior around Marinette or Ladybug," he snickered, happily munching on his leftover cheese.

Adrien pinched the bridge of his nose, "I _do not_ have obsessive marking behavior!" he groaned, burying his face in his hands, "How will I face Marinette after this?!"

Plagg gave his a pointed look, " _You_ will act normal and _Chat Noir_ will better search for a new princess,"

Adrien groaned, throwing himself on his bed.

 **Thank you all for reviewing, favoriting and following! :) You guys make my day!**


	5. Fangs Bared, Claws Out

**A/N:** Oh wow, I never thought I would get so many follows/favorites in such a short time! Thank you guys so much :3 As always, if you have any suggestions, feel free to write them in a PM or review!

 **ANSWERS TO REVIEWS:**

 **SilverIscariot:** (bows happily) Ah, thanks so much! I'm really glad you enjoy my one shots! :3

 **Kyra milady:** haha Yeah, I do, been a fan since it started really. Though it always has a special place in my heart, I don't like how the latest seasons had so much fanservice, kinda of a killjoy and distracting from the cool storyline and battles if you ask me, but all the same it was great :)

 **Marichat4Life:** I've written your prompt and I sincerely hope you'll like it! I'm sorry, originally I had something different planned but please tell me if you like it or not! If not, I'll gladly change or write another one shot! :)

 ** _Enjoy!_**

 **Prompt: During an (akuma) attack, Marinette is surprised how protective and aggressive Chat Noir is (while protecting her).**

 **INFO on chapter:** I decided to bump up their ages here a bit, since the prompt is Chat Noir also being _quite_ aggressive while fighting and I just can't picture 13-15-year old Adrien doing that yet . **Adrien's age here: 20, Marinette's age: 20**

 **Rated: T** (a bit of swearing at the end, violent situations, dark themes, dangerous Chat ahead!)

 _ **Part 2 is on Chapter 18: Fangs Bared, Claws Out Part 2**_

* * *

 ** _Fangs Bared, Claws Out_**

" _Get me their Miraculouses, Slicer!_ " Hawkmoth's voice echoed within the man's mind, an invisible force pulling him in and shattering his resolve.

"Yes, Hawkmoth," the tall male called Slicer replied, sinister grin only widening when he leapt out into the open and spread his hand out, fingers morphing into deadly gleaming weapons as he sliced a nearby building in half, "This is _nice_ ," chuckling darkly, he reveled in the screams of Paris as it broke into chaos.

* * *

Chat Noir panted, standing back to back with Ladybug as they tried figuring out what to do next, "My lady, this is a pretty good time to get ideas!" both ducked when they heard a crashing sound, followed by hissing blades as they swiped over their heads.

Chat Noir extended his staff, growling as he parried the onslaught of metallic blades in his direction, Ladybug deflecting them with her spinning yoyo, "Right!" she could use her Lucky Charm, but if she did, she wouldn't have much time helping Chat fight off the akuma while she figured out what to do it.

The black cat superhero expertly deflected another series of blades, "Could use a little work!" he side stepped a incoming blade, muscles flexing as he evaded them, "Tch, I've fought better," he grinned cockily, watching the rage slowly build in the akuma, causing his movements to become sloppy.

 _"_ _Calm down Slicer! Don't let yourself become ensnared in his teasing! Think of your future, of becoming a widely acknowledged member of the circus and being able to show off your profession with blades to the elites! Think about it and don't let me down, Slicer!"_ Hawmoth's voice was full of sinister promises, promises that, as far fetched as they sounded, were appealing to Slicer so he set to work, his blades becoming quicker.

Chat Noir found it harder to parry and deflect, there was a sharp, quick pain on his forearm and Chat Noir's eyes shot down to his arm, where a small cut ripped his suit, only for it to regenerate over his wound. He hissed, ears drawn back, "Chat Noir!" Ladybug's concerned voice made him jump to the right, away from the blades that had imbedded themselves into the pavement.

"Ladybug, what will we do?" they stood back to back again, Ladybug deflecting the blades with her spinning yoyo, for now.

Her mind reeled, she tried thinking of anything to temporarily distract the akuma long enough for them to catch their breath and devise a plan.

And finally, she got an idea. She turned her head to her partner, "Chat Noir, your staff!"

Of all the times, the stupid cat could make stupid puns and innuendos, it had to be now, "Oho, m'lady, not in front of the akuma," he wiggled his eyebrows suggestively and she had the sudden urge to _let_ the blades tear him to shreds.

Her voice was a frantic growl, " _Chat Noir!"_

The twenty-year old shrugged, green eyes twinkling wickedly in mirth as he pressed a button on his baton and grabbed his partner from around the waist, "At your service!"

The same second Ladybug ceased to spin her yoyo she was already soaring into the air as Chat Noir directed them as far away from the akuma as possible, taking shelter behind buildings and skyscrapers as the akuma's enraged shouts grew duller and duller.

They finally stopped at a park and both heroes panted for breath, "We need a plan," Ladybug wiped her forehead, staring at her yoyo.

Chat Noir panted, muscles contracting and relaxing as he warily watched his partner, "You can say that again,"

Ladybug groaned, running out of every option formulating in her mind, "Let's see…the akuma is someone from the circus, right? Someone handy with blades and knives?" Chat Noir nodded, crossing his arms and Ladybug tried not to let her eyes stray to the prominent muscles hi skin tight suit failed miserably to hide, "He can turn his hands into blades and they can even cut through buildings, so we need to find something durable enough that can't be cut by him and immobilize his hands,"

Chat Noir froze, noticing where his lady's gaze moved, "Oh no, no, no, no, no, _no_. _Not_ my belt," he crossed his arms, "You know, you're using my belt far too often lately, I'm sure there's a good reason behind that. But I don't think leather will stand a chance against him," his tone was dry but contemplative, actually considering the option without voicing it.

Ladybug rolled her eyes, "Enough with the innuendos, Chat. I swear, the older you get the worse your jokes get too," she ignored his kitty eyes, "Listen, your belt is a part of your suit as Chat Noir, our suits are nearly indestructible, so it shouldn't be a problem to tie his hands together and keep the blades from extending, right?"

Chat Noir thought back to the moment when the blades actually managed to cut him and tear through his suit, "Ladybug, it _can_ injure us, at least it tore through my suit just now." He gripped his forearm, a hiss in his voice, "I don't know if those blades are special or not but they can hurt us, given the opportunity. We need to think of something else,"

Ladybug sighed, "You're right," she eyed him suspiciously, "Are you sure you're alright? You're favoring your arm,"

Oh, his lady certainly didn't miss anything, did she?

Chat Noir straightened, "Yeah, I'm fine," it was just a small cut, nothing to make her worry, "Come on, let's get this show on the road," he smirked, readying his staff.

Ladybug rolled her eyes, "Oh really? With what plan?"

Chat Noir smiled, "I might have just thought of something, if that doesn't work, use your Lucky Charm and it may get us out of trouble," he moved forward, already jumping toward the sounds of the rampaging akuma before Ladybug could even begin to voice her protest.

She growled, cursing teenage boys and their stupid recklessness.

They arrived on the scene just in time to witness Slicer attempting to cut the Eiffel Tower, the civilians around them screaming in panic.

And suddenly, both heroes knew what to do when they realized Slicer's blades bounced right back, the sturdy metal of the Eiffel Tower surprisingly withstanding his attacks without visible scratches.

Glancing at each-other, Ladybug and Chat Noir nodded, Ladybug moving to swing towards the Eiffel Tower and hide behind its metal bars while Chat Noir gave a sharp whistle, attracting the akuma's attention, "Now, now, let's _cut_ to the chase, right? Why don't you tell me why you're so upset mister knife-wielder?"

Slicer seemed to grow irritated at Chat, rounding on him and turning his back to the Eiffel Tower, failing to see Ladybug swinging around it, "What would you know, little boy?! Nobody appreciates the art of the circus anymore!" his blades shot out toward Chat Noir and the lithe cat managed to evade them, deflecting them with his baton.

Chat grinned, now nearly head to head with the akuma, his hands still morphed into blades as he attempted to overpower Chat Noir, "Hey, hey, no need to get so _edgy_. I'm sure a lot of people still appreciate the art since many still visit the circus, you get my _point_?"

Slicer didn't seem to appreciate puns very much, maybe he also didn't really like Chat Noir much, whatever it was, he applied more pressure and Chat found himself straining to push back, muscles at his back bulging as he tried to gain the upper hand, "Shut up! You're annoying!"

Chat huffed, doing a back flip and bringing his staff up to block a blade thrown his way before landing on his feet, side stepping to avoid Slicer's bladed hands, "Now that was almost a stab in the back, huh?" he jumped back when Slicer tried to have a go at him again, "Ok, look, no need to be so angry. I'm sure we can talk about-omphf!" he was blown back by the blunt force of Slicer's body slamming against him and he fell to the ground, dazed.

"Damn…maybe I should stop it with the puns…" he shook his head, quickly rolling out of the way when Slicer advanced upon him, "Any time now m'lady!"

" _Chat Noir!"_ he whipped his head toward the Eiffel Tower and sure enough, he could see Ladybug waiting for him there, "Here kitty!"

Quickly running away from Slicer's blades, Chat used his staff to propel himself toward the tower, grabbing onto the metal right next to where his lady was, "Please tell me you got a plan,"

The smirk on her face made him feel relieved, his eyes lightened up when he saw she had used her lucky charm, "Awesome! But wait is that-" his expression fell, "…a tape?" he blinked, looking at his partner for clarification.

She looked around, her gaze narrowing at Slicer's wrists and Chat Noir's hand.

She had the cat in the bag.

"Chat Noir, do your thing!" she shouted, jumping away from the protective barrier of the Eiffel Tower.

Chat Noir nodded, maneuvering over his temporary shield of the tower, calling upon his power.

" _Cataclysm!"_

Ladybug this time distracted the akuma while Chat Noir managed to get close, jumping right in front of him before touching his blades and immediately, the metal shattered leaving only his human hands.

Before the akuma could regenerate his blades, Ladybug quickly tapped his hands while Chat Noir held his wrists together, effectively wrapping Slicer's hands together until they looked like the hands of a mummy. Chat's eyes darted toward Slicer's waist, where a sheath was strapped to it with a blade, "Ladybug!" he gestured to Slicer's pouch and his lady understood, of course she did.

Chat Noir kept a firm grip around Slicer's wrists, it was a battle of strength as the two men struggled while Ladybug quickly grabbed the sheath, "Chat Noir, your baton!" keeping one hand on Slicer's wrists, Chat Noir quickly threw her his baton and Ladybug used it to break the sheath and the blade in half.

Slicer screamed, enraged and desperate, " _NO!_ My blade!" growling, he threw Chat Noir off, causing the youth to stumble to the ground.

But it was too late, the dark butterfly was already in the air when Ladybug called upon her own powers, "Time to de-devilize!" capturing the dark butterfly within her yoyo and grabbing it in her hand.

Opening her yoyo, Ladybug smiled as a pure white butterfly flew out of it into the sky, "Bye, bye, little butterfly," she smiled, "Miraculous Ladybug!" throwing the tape into the air and a bright light engulfed the whole city of Paris, repairing the damage done to the city and purifying Hawkmoth's hold over Slicer, who returned to being normal again.

"Pound it!" Ladybug and Chat Noir did their ritual fist bump, grinning at each-other.

"Ugh…what…what happened?" Slicer, or Pierre the knife wielder, rubbed at his pulsating head, "Huh? Ladybug? Chat Noir?" he looked around, spotting the Eiffel Tower, "Why am I not back in the tent?"

Chat Noir helped steady the man before placing a hand on his shoulder, "You got akumatized sir, but no worries, you're good now," he smiled reassuringly, "And about your talent with knife wielding, I think it's pretty cool," he noticed a small smile appearing on Pierre's lips, "If you ever start doubting yourself, give me a call and you'll see me sitting among your usual fans in the circus tent, alright?"

Pierre, looking overjoyed now, beamed happily at the younger male, "Thank you Chat Noir and I thought not many people appreciate fine art anymore," Chat Noir chuckled.

"There's always someone, Pierre," he winked, watching the now smiling man walk in the direction where he thought was the circus.

"That was nice of you," his lady's voice penetrated his ears and Chat Noir smiled.

"It was nothing, everyone needs a little encouragement every once and a while," he shrugged.

"How is your arm?" Chat Noir smiled at Ladybug's question.

"Fully healed, thank you," he flexed his bicep, causing Ladybug to quickly look away in an attempt not to get distracted.

Damn that kitty and puberty and growing up. Well, he certainly didn't _look_ like a sweet, innocent little kitten anymore, more like full-grown, leanly muscled, sinful cat in too tight-fitting leather. His hair seemed wilder too, which only made his appearance that more striking.

Shaking her head, Ladybug noticed their beeping Miraculouses, "Guess it's time to go," she sent her partner a smile, "I'll see you later for patrol Chat Noir!" and with a swing of her yoyo, she was gone.

Chat Noir sighed, "As always, m'lady," and vanished into the privacy of his own home as well.

* * *

Night time arrived pretty quickly for both superheroes and Chat Noir was already at their designated meeting spot on the highest point on the Eiffel Tower, overlooking the quiet city of Paris with a calm eye.

Usually, akuma attacks almost never occurred during the night, perhaps it was something about Hawkmoth's civilian life being too busy during the night or perhaps because akuma's functioned better during the night, during the night it was too dark to see and fight, not for him of course, but alas a disadvantage.

Nonetheless, the two heroes took it upon themselves to patrol the area every night, whether to stop petty thieves or small-fry criminals from getting their way. The older they got, the more dangerous their patrols had become. They couldn't exactly take on a civilian with their full power, so both of them had to be careful when dealing with them and unfortunately, that left many opportunities for the criminals to either get the upper hand or get away.

Thankfully, none had let it come this far, not Ladybug or himself.

Oh, if _only_ he had anticipated the danger before it reared it's ugly head.

He had called his lady, at least five times, each time leaving a message to come to their meeting spot and asking what took her so long.

It wasn't until he was on the verge of calling a sixth time when suddenly his ring pulsed and the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end, seconds later, an ear-splitting scream tore through the dead of the night and Chat Noir was moving before he realized it, jumping over the roofs expertly while quickly dashing toward the cry for help.

The screaming grew louder the closer he was and finally, what he realized to be just a few blocks away from Marinette's house, stood the said girl in a dark alleyway, cornered by at least three men from what he could tell.

His grip on his staff tightened and Chat Noir tried not to let the intense wave of protectiveness get the better of him as he quickly jumped down into the narrow alleyway.

If it weren't for the protection of his suit, he was sure he would have broken every single bone in his legs and then some. Landing almost soundlessly on the pavement ground, Chat Noir released a loud hiss, standing behind the hulking men who _dared_ to corner _his_ princess.

"And what do you think you're doing, gentlemen?" he could almost taste the venom leaking from his every spoken word, the mentioned men anything _but_.

They turned, identical dirty grins and sinister sneers on their faces and one of them looked at Chat Noir almost jovially, "Ahh, Chat Noir! Good timing man, we were just about to celebrate,"

Vibrant green eyes narrowed, "Celebrate what?" his eyes flew down to Marinette, who was on the ground, looking… _beaten up_.

Pupils dilated, and his claws flexed, turning into sharper points than his normal ones as his ears drew back threateningly.

The brutes snickered and laughed, "Well, ya see, one of my buddies here never banged a girl before, can you believe it?" he howled with laughter, "Anyway, we found this pretty little thing wandering aimlessly through the dark, lonely streets and thought why not escort the lady home?"

Chat felt his restraint breaking like threads, one by one, "Doesn't look like escort to me," his gaze flickered down again to Marinette, taking in a forming bruise on her left cheek, bloody nose and messy hair, suggesting a fight.

His eyes stayed on her and she mouthed helplessly ' _Help me, kitty'_

Cat-like gaze returned to the men, his whole body shaking, "No, no, no, the lady was fine she just needed to learn her place, is all," he had the audacity to grin and Chat Noir, for once, allowed his more…darker side to resurface as he stepped closer to them, about equal in height.

His eyes glowed and his fangs caught the light as they elongated in his deep anger, "Learn her place?" there was a sharp hiss and the sound of leather squeaking as Chat Noir clenched his fists, "I think _you're_ the ones that need to learn their place," his voice dropped a few octaves lower, turning menacing, a terrifying tone Marinette never heard before, "Get the hell away from her,"

The men, sensing the hostility radiating off of him, seemed slightly on edge, but in their half drunken states, failed to note the depth of the situation, "Come on man, don't be such a party pooper, we'll let you have a go at her t-"

 _Slam_

The body fell heavily to the ground with a sickening crack, perhaps a dislocated jaw, or a few broken ribs, and his buddies jumped in fright, "What the hell?! Hey man what was-"

"I told you to get away from her," his fangs flashed threateningly, " _didn't I?_ "

One of them, either drunk or thirsting for a death wish, stepped closer to Marinette, roughly grabbing her hair, "Chill dude, chill, come on, get comfortable and I'll open her pretty little mouth for you- _argh!_ "

Chat Noir stood over Marinette in a second, claws digging into saggy skin as he curled a hand around the idiot's throat, lifting him off the ground, his legs kicking wildly at the air.

Chat's gaze narrowed, pupils turning into thin slits, "Say that again, _asshole_ ," the man clawed helplessly at Chat Noir's arm, unable to do any damage due to Chat Noir's suit and the man's scattered concentration.

At Chat's low growl, Marinette froze, frozen in fear at the sheer killing intent and ferocity her longtime friend showed to civilians. She had never seen him like this before, she had seen him angry, albeit those occurrences were rare too, but never so… _dark_. She didn't know what to make of it but tense and tremble at the sharp hiss that left him and the menacing green his eyes turned into.

He threw the punk into his friend, both men stumbling to the ground.

The third one shakily stood up, fists in the air, his voice an angry, drunken slurr, "H-hey, whyz dat yer so pissy kitty? Huh?" he aimed a poorly timed fist at the furious superhero and before he knew it, he was crying out in pain, his wrist quite possibly broken as Chat's hand curled around it in a death grip.

He pulled the drunk close to his face, eyes blazing a poisonous green as he stared him down, "If I see you anywhere else molesting women, I'll _gladly_ use these claws to shred your dignity to ribbons," he pressed his claw lightly under the man's trembling chin and hearing the man gasp caused a weird satisfaction to swell up in him, "If you ever approach this woman again, I won't be so merciful next time,"

The first drunk, he should have known. The first one he had spoken to had stood up, charging at the leather-clad superhero with blind rage.

Chat Noir released the man he held by his throat, muscles tensing in preparation to slam his fist in the drunk's face.

And suddenly he froze, a small but firm hand gripping his closed fist, "C-Chat, s-stop, you will k-kill them," the voice of his princess, the broken woman on the ground, cleared the cloud of anger away.

Gently, he shook off her grip, advancing on the man.

Instead of punching his lights out and maybe kicking his family jewels and sinking his claws deep into his neck, Chat Noir settled for a quick flick of his wrist, trapping the man's wrist behind his back and bending it painfully.

The man would never forget what Paris' superhero whispered in his ear that night, "Run or I'll show you what Cataclysm does to a human," punctuated by the sudden sharp jab against his side, the man was in a near panic to escape, his barely conscious buddies following suit until Chat Noir couldn't see them anymore.

There was whimpering, and Chat Noir immediately crouched down low to the ground, quickly inspecting Marinette for injuries, "Princess…" gently, cautiously, he retracted his claws and ran a hand over the bruise on her cheek, making her flinch, "I'm so sorry, Marinette," his body was trembling in anger, this time solely directed at himself.

 _He was too late._

Did she _have_ to get injured before his arrival?

No, of course not.

If only he had been faster-

A small, soft hand gripped his shoulder tightly, "C-Chat, kitty look at me, you're s-shaking," his eyes snapped to hers, "Y-your eyes…"

He averted his gaze, breathing deeply to calm down, "I…" he bit his lip, "I'm sorry,…what you saw…" his ears flattened against his head.

A soft tug on his shoulder made him look back at her, "I…I was scared…" his eyes widened, in all the years he had known her, he rarely ever saw Marinette get scared of anything. She was similar to his lady in that respect.

"…Of…me?" his heart sank, hands shaking as he realized what he must have looked like to her.

Beating up the men like he did, snarling and hissing and _baring his fangs_ at them with the intent to _kill_. If she hadn't stopped him and brought him to his senses, he wasn't sure how far he would have gone.

He always knew he was followed by bad luck, he had grown to live with it, but dear sweet _Marinette_? _Why_ did she have to get assaulted? For _what_?

She surprised him yet again, "N-no…I…I was scared…I would never get you back, kitty," the use of his nickname calmed him instantly and he gathered her carefully in his arms, hugging her tenderly against him.

He heard a sob, then another one and he wasn't sure if it was Marinette or himself.

He just held her, tightly in his arms, and he felt like he would never be able to let her go.

First the akuma that had nearly sliced him and Ladybug into bits and now _this_?

Somebody must really hate him.

Marinette settled a hand on his forearm, her voice a broken whisper, "C-Chat…p-please get me home,"

Carefully gathering the injured woman in his arms, Chat extended his staff and as smoothly as possible, jumped over the roofs and onto her small balcony.

She had moved out of her parent's house half a year ago he recalled, renting a small apartment near their bakery so she could always go to them when she needed their help. This time, Chat doubted Marinette would want her parents to see her like this.

He carefully pushed open the full-body window of her balcony, which she always left open in case he wanted to surprise visit her, and stepped inside the small but cozy and warm living room.

He didn't switch the lights on, he would do that when he reached her bathroom.

Rubbing her back soothingly, Chat Noir shut the toilet lid down and gently placed Marinette on it, brushing her bangs from her face tenderly and he winced.

Small cuts and bruises dotted her normally impeccable face and he felt his anger rise again. He would hunt them down, he _would_.

Sensing the anger, Marinette cupped his face in her hands, smiling warmly, "It's alright kitty…" she stroked his cheek softly and he would have purred were he not so angry.

"How can you say that?" he gently lowered her hand down, "How can you say that after what just happened? Those men, Mari, they, they would have-!" he growled, standing up and pacing back and forth, "If I hadn't arrived when I did, if you hadn't screamed for help-!" he cut himself off again, not being able to even _think_ in that direction.

Marinette trembled and immediately her hero in leather armor crouched down by her side, "I'm sorry, Mari," he sighed heavily, broad shoulders once so tense sagging in defeat, ears laid flat against his skull in silent apology.

Marinette smiled, running her hand through his messy hair, "Silly kitty," she released a short giggle, "I'm here…I-I'm fine, for the most part," she smiled and Chat Noir forced a small smile, shaking his head.

Standing up, he grabbed her first aid kit he knew she stored in her cabinet behind the small mirror above the sink, placing the box on the floor and taking out a roll of gauze, disinfectant spray and plasters.

He was silent as he, as gently as he could, cleaned and dressed her wounds like she did to him so many times in the past after he either came stumbling, unconsciously, to her house after a difficult akuma fight or otherwise.

Every time she winced or drew back, he would wince in sympathy, knowing how it pained her. He was kicking himself for not arriving sooner, he could have spared her the pain but every time his thoughts took him there, Marinette would try to distract him, either with soft chin rubs or casual conversation.

He honestly didn't know how _he_ was the one barely controlling his emotions, how Marinette didn't rightfully get angry and break down or something.

Then again, it was _Marinette._

Strong-willed, smart, forgiving, kind Marinette.

After he was done, he reorganized her first aid kit and stored it in it's rightful place again, before scooping her up in his arms carefully.

Her soft voice sounded clearer now, "I'm not gonna break kitty,"

Oh, he _knew_ but after today, he was _terrified_ to even let her out of his sight and Marinette knew, judging by the reflexive tightening of his arms around her and his guarded eyes watching her every move, that he would be a frequent house guest from today on.

Until she fully recovered anyway.

She was surprised how he didn't ask about Ladybug, why she didn't come to patrol. In truth, Marinette had been on the way home to pick up Tikki and transform, after having gone to the bakery to make sure it was locked and secure since her parents went on another culinary convention outside of Paris.

He carried her to her kitchen, making sure she ate before going to sleep. Since this was Marinette, she had naturally forced him to eat with her and he couldn't deny his growling stomach when the delicious looking pastries had been practically shoved into his face.

So, they ate, striking up conversation every so often, mostly it was Marinette speaking, which was a surprise on itself since Chat Noir was known for his excessive speech box.

She sensed his troubled state and was at a war with herself if she should address it or leave it be until morning.

He answered it for her though, "Did…" he swallowed thickly, eyes slowly moving up to meet hers, "Did they…do anything else to you?" his eyes narrowed, daring her to lie.

She sighed, reaching across the table to grab his clawed hand, squeezing tightly, reassuringly, "No Chat, nothing else happened. I was careless and…" she bit her bottom lip, "…and got myself hurt,"

His eyes flashed, and Marinette knew she had said the wrong thing, "It's _not_ your fault! Those bastards, they, they-!" his fist trembled, "I swear, when I-"

Marinette quickly cut him off, moving from her seat to stand in front of him and hug him tightly, "Chat, please, it's alright." Her voice was a soft whisper, a tremble evident in it, "I…I'm alright," she hugged his head tightly, but Chat didn't mind, wrapping his strong arms around her waist and pulling her into his embrace, tucking her head beneath his chin.

A low, purring sound reverberated from his throat and he was too caught up in the moment to feel embarrassed or suppress it and Marinette felt calmed by the sound and the feel from his chest, a gentle vibration that made her feel warm and safe and _secure_.

They sat there, for what felt like an eternity and Chat noticed the deep rhythmic breathing against him, signaling she fell asleep.

Slowly standing up and keeping a firm grip around her, Chat Noir switched off the lights in the kitchen, dishes could be done tomorrow, all that mattered was the precious, sleeping cargo in his arms.

Navigating his way to Marinette's bedroom, Chat gently kicked the door open with his foot. Carefully balancing her weight with one arm, Chat Noir moved the covers of her bed away, slowly settling her on her soft bed.

He righted himself, pulling the covers over her and tucking her in. A warm, fond smile spread over his lips, his gaze soft, pupils dilated, " _My princess…"_

Gently brushing her bangs from her face, Chat Noir resisted the urge to place a kiss there as he made his way to the door, only to stop suddenly in his tracks.

There was a tug on his tail and he turned his head to look at his sleeping princess.

Marinette's hand was firmly wrapped around his tail, tugging gently, "Stay…kitty…" her whisper was so quiet, but sounded so loud in his ears, in the peaceful quietness of her apartment and he couldn't help but to try and resist her offer, as tempting as it sounded.

Sensing his resistance, Marinette tugged on his tail again and finally, Chat Noir sighed and walked on the other side of her bed, lifting the covers up and slipping in beside her.

He wasn't sure what to do with his hands, he wasn't sure if hugging her , like he so _badly_ wanted to, was appropriate but once again, his princess surprised him by scooting closer to him, her back now pressed against his front.

Chat's throat ran dry and Marinette reached a hand back and grabbed his own, bringing it forward and kissing the leather encased knuckles gently, softly, then settling them to rest on her stomach.

His heart squeezed, feeling overwhelmed by pure affection for this woman and he pressed himself even closer, slipping his other arm around her and hugging her tightly to him, nose buried in her hair.

He felt drowsy, heavy, sleepy all at once and he, not for once in his life, wondered what kind of effect she had on him.

He nuzzled into her hair and she sighed contently, "Good night kitty," he smiled, nuzzling her again as he leaned forward and placed a sweet kiss on top of her head.

"Good night, princess," he purred softly and let himself be lulled to sleep by the quietness of the night, the scent of his princess all around him and the comforting feeling of her body and warmth against him.

He may be flawed, an omen of bad luck, a vicious predator when angered, ready to attack its prey with the intent to kill, but she, _this woman_ , managed to calm the raging beast inside him and bring out everything that was good in him, just like his lady.

With a reflexive twitch of his hand, he interlocked their fingers together on her stomach and in a movement, he wasn't entirely sure was done in her sleep, Marinette tightened her grip on his hand and squeezed back.

 **Phew…oh jeez, that was dark. As I said, first time writing for this fandom, hope it wasn't too OOC! ^^**


	6. Back to You

**A/N:** (sniffs pathetically) Well…I didn't expect to wake up to more favorites/followers/reviews T_T Thank you everyone who read my one shots till now and actually _liked_ them, I always have that nagging voice in my head that I may be writing them as too OOC. .

 **ANSWERS TO REVIEWS:**

 **Starlin's Ghost:** Hi there, thank you so much for reading this short collection! ^.^Aw, thank you for the sweet compliments haha I thought I wrote them too OOC in this chapter! Eheh, to be honest, I only noticed the cliffhangers now after I read your review . Sorry about that, I have a knack for (unintentionally) writing cliffies :D haha And to be even more honest, I was actually toying with the idea to continue chapter 5, but I would leave it as it is until more readers think I should continue it :3 (sighs) Yup, I know exactly what you mean, 2 people, 4 ships, never had that one before haha Marichat has that magnetic pull that I can't get out of, I can't explain it lol ^^ There's just something about sweet, sassy Marinette being with daring, flirty Chat Noir ;)

 **Marichat4Life:** (bows) Ahh, thank you! I thought it would suck since you said during an akuma attack . But really, it's no problem if I write another one shot (this time) Marinette getting hurt by an akuma! :) Honestly, thank you so much for the kind compliments, I feel flattered. And yes, I saw all of the episodes of Season 2 and I'll wait for a bit until they're up on the internet for a bit longer before writing anything about them because _spoilers._ ;)

 **Prompt: Chat Noir carries his unconscious princess back home after an akuma attack!**

 **Rated: K+ (ready for Marichat FLUFF)**

 **Enjoy! ;)**

* * *

 **Back to You**

Chat Noir sighed, carefully balancing his movements and jumps with his baton and the precious cargo in his arms as he navigated through Paris, straight towards a familiar bakery he frequented often lately.

Marinette seemed sound asleep in his arms but Chat's nerves were on edge.

An akuma had terrorized the citizens of Paris, but even though Ladybug managed to purify it and turn everything back to normal, she had vanished so suddenly he didn't even get a chance to ask her if she was alright.

Not even ten minutes after he himself planned to go home, he found Marinette, behind a thick wall near a park, unconscious on the ground.

He had tried not to think of the bruises, bruises on the _same_ places his lady had gotten hit while fighting the akuma earlier. Maybe it had been pure coincidence, maybe the akuma had been playing a bad joke or maybe Chat Noir started losing his mind.

Whatever it was, he couldn't just leave the girl there. He still had time until he detransformed, so the best course of action was to bring her home quickly.

The weight against him felt comforting in some way, her head nestled against his shoulder and he pulled her just a bit closer, feeling a wave of protectiveness wash over him. He could just kick himself. How didn't he notice her? How didn't he check up on possible injured akuma victims earlier? The Lucky Charm should have repaired any and all damages done by the akuma, he didn't understand how Marinette remained injured.

Whatever the case, he swore to himself, ever since the Evillustrator incident, that he would keep a closer eye on her, whether she wanted it or not.

He felt stirring against his chest, but when he looked down, Marinette's eyes squeezed shut, brows drew together, her hand curling against his chest and Chat's ears lowered when he recognized the expression, it was one of worry. He pulled her even closer to his body, so her head was safely tucked into the crook of his neck.

Slowing to a brief stop, Chat Noir brushed her bangs away from her face and ran a clawed finger carefully over the smooth skin of her cheek, " _Marinette,"_ his grip around her tightened and he resumed his hold around her, his pace speeding up.

The bakery was already in view and instead of jumping up to her balcony, Chat Noir bypassed a stunned old woman on his way into the bakery shop, ignoring the surprised gasp and the admittedly sweet-smelling delicacies baked in the kitchen.

Sabine and Tom quite nearly dropped everything in order to rush towards the leather-clad superhero and Chat Noir braced himself for the questions.

"Chat Noir! What-what happened to Marinette?" Sabine's eyes were full of worry, solely directed at her unconscious daughter.

Tom's own worry seeped into his voice, "Is she badly injured?"

Chat Noir cleared his throat, "Marinette fell unconscious after the akuma attack, I'm sorry, sir, ma'am, but I…I was too late to protect her," his ears flattened against his head, "It was my fault Marinette got hurt and I'm ready to face the consequences however you see fit,"

Tom and Sabine shared a look with each-other and Tom's large hand fell heavily on Chat Noir's shoulder, the cat themed superhero looked up at Tom's intimidating size, but the man smiled kindly, "Thank you for keeping her safe, Chat Noir. I'm sure you did your best trying to protect our little Marinette,"

Sabine nodded, smiling kindly at the stunned hero, "We always see you fighting akumas and trying to protect everyone, we understand you can't protect everyone," her face saddened as she looked at her unconscious daughter, "And…our Marinette is known to get into trouble," she shook her head, brushing away her daughter's hair.

Tom cleared his throat suddenly and Chat Noir looked at him like a deer caught in headlights, until he noticed his death grip around Marinette didn't relent. Embarrassingly, he carefully placed her in her father's awaiting arms, watching how her parents fawned on her worriedly and assessed her condition.

He was about to turn away and leave the little family, until Sabine suddenly said, "Are you injured, Chat Noir?" he froze, slowly turning to regard the parents of his friend and classmate.

Their worried gazes were now directed at him, he must look worse than he thought, "No, no, I'm fine, thank you," he bowed, "Please take care of Marinette and…" he hesitated, swallowing thickly, "…tell her I'm sorry,"

Sabine stopped him again with a hand on his shoulder, "Wait, young man," he blinked at her maternal tone, the Chinese woman quickly rushing behind the counter and retrieving a box.

When the box came close to him, Chat Noir smelled croissants and all sorts of baked goods, "Please take this as a token of our gratitude for saving our daughter," she smiled gently, eyeing his form critically, "You should eat more, you're still growing." She patted his shoulder in a motherly gesture, and it made Adrien's heart ache.

Hesitantly accepting the box of baked goods, Chat Noir bowed deeply at the waist, his ears flat, "Thank you very much,"

He rushed outside before his emotions got the better of him.

He knew Marinette would be alright with her parents there, but he couldn't stop the nagging little voice at the back of his head, which suspiciously sounded like his own, that convinced him to transform into Chat Noir again later that day to check up on her.

* * *

Landing with all the gracefulness of a cat on her balcony, Chat Noir made his way slowly to the little hatch door, looking into it. He couldn't see much, so he balanced on the small roof next to it and lowered himself upside down to her window.

Now it offered him a clearer view and he could see Marinette covered by blankets, sleeping.

He sighed in relief, allowing the open emotions to play on his face in the form of a warm smile.

He froze when he heard a high-pitched scream and looked back at Marinette, sound asleep, before running toward the iron railing of her balcony, looking at the street. Nobody else seemed alerted, people weren't running around in a frenzy or panic and there seemed to be no akuma.

Slowly moving away from the railing, Chat Noir sighed, shrugging. Must have been a little girl.

Resisting the urge to knock on her window, Chat Noir extended his baton and made his way back home.

He could visit Marinette again after school and see her during school as Adrien.

Everything would be alright.

* * *

The minute Marinette had walked into the classroom, everyone quietened down.

She was still feeling sleepy, partly exhausted from yesterday's events. The lucky charm should usually cleanse and repair everything the akuma did, but it seemed like she had underestimated her own enemies as she soon destransformed and collapsed somewhere.

When she had woken up, she was at home, her mom and dad doting on her and rushing through the house to shove cookies, milk and aspirin into her face.

She wished she had taken them up on the offer of food, at least then she would have stalled a little longer and avoided answering questions concerning a certain superhero.

She hadn't even known who brought her home, but when her mother looked at her with a knowing, far too mischievous look in her eyes, Marinette knew she had been doomed, " _You know, next time you meet Chat Noir, you might want to invite him over for dinner, the boy looks far too skinny for his age. And he needs the strength to fight akumas alongside Ladybug, he would need all the help he can get, right?"_ she had winked at her and Marinette felt ready for the ground to swallow her up when her father intervened.

 _"_ _I don't know about that sweetie, isn't it a little too early for dinner? I doubt he even properly took her out on a cup of coffee or dinner or something,"_ her mother had rolled her eyes at her protective husband.

" _Oh Tom, I think Marinette is old enough to know if she wants us to meet her boyfriend or not. I wished we had a little more time to get to know him before his superhero duties get in the way,"_ her mother had sighed in disappointment, completely ignoring her stuttering, blushing daughter.

" _Mom! Dad! It's not like that at all! Chat Noir is just a friend!"_

 _"_ _Oh, we know honey, we know,"_

 _"_ _Mom!"_

Needless to say that conversation was one Marinette could have well avoided.

She slid onto her seat next to Alya, slumping on the desk and resting her head on it, sighing heavily.

"Is there something you want to tell me Marinette?" Alya's voice sounded far too low, she knew that tone.

Marinette's head shot up, looking at her quizzically until Alya practically shoved her phone at her face.

Marinette's cheeks blazed a burning red at what she saw.

Chat Noir, _carrying_ her in his arms through Paris' rooftops and through the streets.

One shot in particular captured a stunned old woman, looking at the pair incredulously as Chat Noir went inside a building.

The building was the bakery shop of her parents.

She screamed.

" _WHAT?! CHAT NOIR?! HOW CAN THIS BE?!"_ she clawed at her hair desperately.

"Hey Marinette, I saw you had a rendezvous with Chat Noir yesterday," Kim grinned suddenly from ear to ear, "Is it true that you guys have something going on?"

Juleka and Rose stared at their friend, Rose in particular looking bubbly and excited, "Marinette! You're in love with Chat Noir?! How comes you didn't tell us anything?" she jumped at the startled bluenette, hugging her tightly, "But what happened to your crush for Adr-"

"Shh Rose, shhh!" Marinette quickly clamped her hand over Rose's moving lips, confusing the oblivious girl when Juleka rolled her eyes playfully and smiled.

"Well, I think you've got some explaining to do, Marinette," for once, the quiet girl let a small smirk stretch over her lips.

Marinette was at a loss of words, internally cursing Chat Noir to oblivion.

"Yeah, I mean, who knew our sweet and shy Marinette could have a secret relationship with Chat Noir?" Mylene looked excited, smiling brightly. Poor Nathaniel apparently heard her, for her sunk even further in on himself, with Kim roughly patting his shoulder to console the smaller boy.

Marinette flailed with her arms wildly, her face a dark pink, "N-no, w-wait you got it all wrong!" Alix suddenly swung her arm around Marinette with a devilish grin.

"Do we? But it looked like he kissed on one of the pictures! Are you _sure_ there's some romance going on, Mari?" she giggled, smiling broadly at Marinette's flabbergasted expression.

Alya giggled and despite wanting to desperately know the truth for herself, comfortingly placed her arm around her friend's shoulders and regarded their friends, "Alright girls, I think poor Marinette will have a meltdown if we tease her anymore, we can ask her for details later," Alya winked, promising no good as the girls eagerly dispersed with matching smiles.

Marinette groaned, slapping her hand against her face, " _Alya!_ I-I can't tell you anything about Chat Noir because there is _nothing_ to tell!"

Alya crossed her arms, "Then what about the pictures, hm? After all, a picture says more than a thousand words," she lifted her finger, sharing a smirk with Nino over her shoulder.

Marinette groaned, "It's true, he _did_ save me a couple of times, but we aren't a couple! You have to believe me! Chat Noir was…just there when I was in danger and he's my good friend," she sounded sincere and Adrien listened intently to every word she said, feeling weird emotions stirring within him.

 _She likes Chat Noir? She thinks of him as a good friend?_

Adrien coughed into his hand, watching Nino have a large smile on his face as he watched the exchange between the two girls.

Adrien knew who had sent that photo to their class group, it had been Nino.

Adrien frowned suspiciously at his friend, "What is going on here? Are you _tailing_ Chat Noir?"

Nino stared at his friend, "Dude, did you just…pun?" he shook his head, "I swear Adrien, you're starting to get bad with these puns again," he sighed, "W-well, I don't know what you mean…I'm not tailing anyone," he whistled innocently and Adrien narrowed his eyes.

" _Adrien, your Chat Noir is showing again,"_ Plagg snickered from the inside of his jacket and Adrien roughly patted his chest in order to silence him.

"How comes you get all these cool snaps of him?" Adrien tried to behave as casual as possible.

Nino rubbed the back of his neck, "I'm…just in the area, I guess," he shrugged but a relentless look from his best friend broke his defenses as he threw a cautious glance over his shoulder at Alya, "Alright, alright dude listen. You have to be quiet or Alya will kill me!" Adrien rose an eyebrow, "Look, Alya persuaded me to follow Chat Noir around whenever I see him and take photos of him together with Marinette!"

Adrien's eyes widened, and he quickly grabbed his best friend's shoulders, "What?! But I-I mean I'm sure _Chat Noir_ didn't notice anything since he would have surely, uh, said something to you right?" he chuckled nervously, a low hiss in his jacket making him feel embarrassed.

Nino blinked, staring weirdly at his friend, "Dud what got you so nervous? Well, anyway, I don't think he noticed me at all, must have been too busy with Marinette and saving Paris with Ladybug to notice," he smirked, leaning in to whisper conspiratorially into Adrien's ear, "But dude, you think he has something going on with Marinette? I mean, I saw it with my own eyes after seeing them that one time on her balcony,"

Adrien frowned, his own emotions in chaos.

 _"_ _Nino is right, what is this that I or Chat Noir have with Marinette? I mean, I love Ladybug but every time I think of her, Marinette appears in my mind and she reminds me more and more of her… Besides, it's not like I don't like spending time with Marinette, she's so carefree and herself when with Chat Noir but so nervous around Adrien…"_ Adrien sighed heavily, looking as troubled as he felt as Nino placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"Dude, you alright man? You look troubled, what's eating at you?" Nino smiled reassuringly when Adrien look at him and the blond sighed.

"Nothing, I…I guess it's hard to imagine Marinette with a guy when she's so nervous here in school," he chuckled nervously.

Nino deadpanned, "You mean so nervous around _you_?" he smirked, "Oh, is someone jealous?"

Adrien's eyes widened, "No, no, no of course not!" even to him, those were too many no's, "I mean, Marinette is just a very good friend," he smiled, trying to keep his cool, trying to let Chat Noir's bravado creep into his civilian life.

It seemed Nino was convinced, for now, "Fine…whatever you say dude," he smirked, laughing quietly.

He would need to be more careful as Chat Noir in the future, especially when visiting Marinette.

He felt a strange wave of satisfaction and embarrassment wash over him when Marinette turned into a stuttering, blushing mess when Alya insinuated…something _explicit_ going on with Chat Noir's apparent nightly visits to her house.

Adrien chuckled, he couldn't hide the Chat-like grin from stretching on his lips.

Really, he couldn't.

 **Done for now! Suggestions are always appreciated and if anyone is interested, I'm searching for artists for some of my stories, including this one! Thanks for reading! :)**


	7. Misfortune

**A/N:** Alright, I apologize but this one shot is my own idea, I had to write it down before I forgot it. The reader prompts will follow after this one I promise! :)

 **Prompt: Happy endings were the best, but they were never meant to last.**

 **ANSWERS TO REVIEWS:**

 **Misslabelled:** Hi there, thanks for reading so far! :) And thank you for the kind words, I'm glad you're enjoying my one shots ^^ Feel free to hit me up with any ideas if you have any ;)

 **Rated: T (Angst fic!) Not really, Marichat, more like general Miraculous Ladybug ^^**

 **NOTE: Accepting Christmas prompts! :3**

* * *

 **Misfortune**

Every day, a new akuma was created with the help of Hawkmoth.

And every day, Ladybug and Chat Noir defended Paris with all they had and freed the akumatized person from Hawkmoth's spell.

And every day, each passing day, meant their inevitable battle was coming closer.

And finally, on that one day, it did.

Equipped with a few years of experience and the powers of their kwami's and themselves, Ladybug and Chat Noir bravely faced what they knew was undoubtedly their toughest opponent to date.

No akuma would come close to the power of what created them in the first place and they were prepared, or so they thought.

The battle had been long and gruesome and they have never come so close to possibly losing their lives as they did that day.

Revelations were what changed the battle in their favor in the end, when Ladybug lay in a injured, motionless heap and Chat Noir's claws infused with his Cataclysm were poised directly under Hawkmoth's throat.

Both of them had been pushed to their limits and they've never considered the possibility, the very _real_ possibility that one day, they might just have to kill their opponent.

It was a price they weren't sure they were ready to pay, it was something that never crossed their mind, but in that moment, where his lady lay motionless under his towering form, Chat Noir felt like he wouldn't have any problems dealing the finish blow if it meant his lady was safe.

Unfortunately, in that moment, Hawkmoth's kwami ran out of energy.

Nooro materialized into solid form from his master's brooch and Hawkmoth's mask and suit vanished, leaving behind a bloody beaten Gabriel Agreste.

And a shocked, heartbroken Chat Noir.

Cataclysm destroyed a stone statue in Hawkmoth's lair instead, the shattered remains of stone on the floor oddly resembling the condition of the masked hero's heart.

 _Father…_

 _Adrien?_

The battle was over.

Ladybug's lucky charm repaired the damage and their injuries, but the injury of the heart was something Adrien knew couldn't be repaired, not even by the ancient kwami's powers.

 _Why did you do it? How could you? My own father._

 _I…I wanted to bring her back._

The picture of his mother, tucked safely into his father's jacket pocket, stared at Adrien as he put the pieces together.

 _You…you wanted to use the power of the miraculouses…to bring mom back?_

 _Yes._

Marinette's heart shattered at the anguished cry Adrien released as he slammed his fist into a nearby wall instead of his father's face.

 _Don't you get it?! No amount of power could bring her back! Not even the miraculouses!_

 _I wanted to try. I had to try, for the sake of her, myself…and you, Adrien._

She had never seen her partner, Chat Noir, her crush, Adrien, so heartbroken.

Nor would she stand for it.

 _Mr. Agreste…Adrien's right. No power is great enough to bring back what is already lost._

 _What is already lost…_

Akumas ceased to be a problem and Paris prospered under the newfound change. Ladybug and Chat Noir had to deal with every day casualties and petty thieveries here and there, Hawkmoth's identity remained hidden, if only for the sake of the Agreste fashion line and Hawkmoth had been something of a occasional ally when Ladybug and Chat Noir would be too busy with their own civilian lives.

Peace was restored and Paris seemed safe, but then…

University, work, their superhero lives, it all came to be too much for the two heroes.

Adrien's lifestyle included traveling a lot overseas, Marinette's budding carrier as a fashion designer and assistant artist for Nathaniel proved to be too time consuming for romances.

They thought everything would be fine after Hawkmoth's defeat.

They thought, maybe Chat Noir would finally have his feelings returned by his lady in red and Marinette would finally hope to stand beside Adrien as something more than just a friend.

They _thought_ with the disappearance of the akuma's, they _would_ get a chance at a safer life.

With the disappearance of akumas came more appearances from other criminal organizations and twisted societies and Ladybug and Chat Noir were needed elsewhere. They thought it would be alright, it would be _good_ …

But…one day…

Ladybug's luck ran out.

 **…** **I have no idea why I had this idea, all I knew was it had to be written, hope it wasn't too OOC! Thank you kindly for reading! :) BTW: I'm searching for artists, does anyone have a clue who I could ask for starters? :)**


	8. Of Ladybugs and Chat Noirs

**A/N:** Hello dear readers, I'm sorry this update was a bit late. RL caught me in a bind and I had to focus on my studies. Unfortunately, the mood struck me to write something sad, so here it is! ^^

 **ANSWERS TO REVIEWS:**

 **Momijifan Low-Ki:** Thank you so much for the compliment! :) I hope they won't get terribly boring with time! :)

 **Prompt: Where Marinette comforts Chat but has to be comforted herself.**

 **Rated: T (mentions of death, sad scenes)**

* * *

 **Of Ladybugs and Chat Noirs**

"Hey, Plagg…" sensing his charge had a question burning at the tip of his tongue, Plagg allowed himself to indulge in his smelly delicacy before finally turning to a curious-looking Adrien.

"What?"

"Uh…" he scratched at the back of his neck, an action Plagg recognized Adrien was uncomfortable with whatever he was about to ask, "That time…when Cataclysm nearly touched me…" Plagg's eyes widened in understanding, "You said, you couldn't lose more kittens…" Adrien bit his lip, "What exactly happened to…the other Chat Noirs?" his vibrant green eyes looked solemn and Plagg tried not to look as sad as he felt.

He felt his heart tighten, flashes of memories, of days and times long gone, zipped through his mind, of adventurous lives, exhilarating swordfights, risky situations involving a certain cat burglar and sappy romance confessions to all those past Ladybugs.

But most of all, it were the endings to each of them that made him feel as old as he actually was and his heart twice as heavy as it actually was.

Plagg tried remaining indifferent, "Why would you wanna know something like that?"

He didn't want to talk about it, Tikki was better at talking than he was, he was good at passing snarky remarks and demands for more cheese.

Adrien hesitated, "Well, I…you…I don't know anything of the past, who the past Chat Noir's were and what they were like," he shuffled his feet, shifting his weight and it made Plagg only more nervous.

"It's in the past Adrien, you don't need to know that," he hoped very hard that Adrien would drop the subject.

Did he mention he was also one of the most _stubborn_ Noirs?

"Please Plagg, it may help me understand everything a little better," Adrien's voice was soft and pleading and Plagg felt a familiar but unwelcome tightening in his chest.

Turning his back to the youth behind him, Plagg exhaled, it wouldn't do good if Adrien saw the solemn expression on his face, or the heartbroken look in his eyes, "…You know, how cats have nine lives?"

There was a moment of hesitation, before he heard Adrien quietly whisper, "Yes,"

Plagg sighed, a small smile on his lips, "Well…none of my kittens lived long enough to experience all of them," he regretted the words as soon as they left his mouth, no doubt Adrien would have even more questions to ask.

He hated digging up the past, he _hated_ having to talk about all of them, about all his past little kittens. He sometimes envied Tikki, for her ability to openly express herself and talk her pain out, Plagg could not. It _pained_ him talking about them, about how he was too much of an incompetent kwami to protect his own dear kittens, how letting them do their own thing ended in peril. How it left both him and Tikki without charges. How it left them heart broken.

He could feel Adrien's breath hitch behind him and he wondered what sort of an impact his words may have had on him, "Each of them were unique in their own way. Some did questionable things to survive, but they were all good at heart. If Chat Noir was a thief, he stole to give to those who had nothing. If Chat Noir was a rogue swordsman exiled from his country, it was in defense to the unfairly treated common folk in the city and his forbidden feelings for the princess, Ladybug." He chuckled lightly, the sound oddly hollow, "Chat Noir and Ladybug always find a way to meet and stay together, it's the way things are. I don't blame Tikki for what happened, I never could," his voice lowered.

He heard Adrien take a deep breath behind him, "…What did happen?"

It was Plagg this time that took a deep breath, "My kittens died protecting Ladybug," the room suddenly felt a bit colder and Plagg wrapped his tail around himself, trying to curl in on himself.

But then, warm, large hands wrapped around him and cradled him gently but cozily against a equally warm chest, the heart that beat beneath signaled him that his charge, _this_ Chat Noir, _Adrien_ , was alive and well.

"I'm sorry Plagg, I'm sorry I asked," Adrien's mumbled voice sounded loud in Plagg's ears and the kwami nuzzled his face against the fabric of Adrien's shirt.

"You have a right to know," in a rare moment of vulnerability, he allowed himself to enjoy the soothing rubs Adrien's finger administered on the top of his head and back, calming the little kwami's anxiousness and the pain from old memories.

Plagg shut his eyes tightly closed, ignoring the stinging in his eyes. Flashes of memories, of places and people, most importantly the faces of his precious kittens, resurfaced in his mind like a film and his claws dug lightly in Adrien's shirt.

" _I can't lose more kittens,"_ Adrien tightened his hold on Plagg, hearing the whispered, broken confession of his usually cynical and sarcastic kwami.

Adrien was scared, it was so very unusual to see his kwami like this, but Plagg _was_ ancient, he had seen things and times Adrien only ever heard of in textbooks. Judging by Plagg's gloomy state, the fates of all the other Chat Noir's must have been terrible and Adrien couldn't help but think that this time, history just won't repeat itself.

He loved Ladybug, he would protect her with his life, but if he gave it his all in order to watch after himself and his lady, then the life or death situation wouldn't occur. He wouldn't need to sacrifice himself and neither would Ladybug, maybe they could break the unfortunate back luck that's been hanging over the past line of Chat Noir's.

For now, he only hugged his kwami tighter.

* * *

Marinette was trying to not let her nerves get the better of her, she was about to call Adrien and ask him out for a date to watch a movie.

It was all thanks to Alya, of course.

Marinette _knew_ she would lose the bet, even with Tikki's good luck, but she couldn't resist.

If Marinette had won the bet, Alya would have been forced to finally confess her feelings for Nino and go to dinner in a restaurant with him.

Now, Alya's _original_ plan had involved far worse things than Marinette was ready for, so the reporter settled for a date to the movies for starters.

Marinette wanted the ground to swallow her up.

"You can do it, Marinette!" Tikki's ever bubbly, encouraging voice brought a smile to her face.

"B-but what if he doesn't pick up?! Or if he's super busy with modelling?!" Marinette gripped the phone in her hands tightly, the device shaking so hard in her sweaty hands she had half a mind to throw it on her bed before she could accidentally break it.

Tikki smiled, floating up in front of her charge's face, "Marinette, you have Adrien's schedule on your wall, you know he doesn't have anything today. This is your chance to finally confess your feelings to him!" Tikki did a quick pirouette in the air, giggling at the blush covering Marinette's cheeks.

She sighed, looking at her phone, "But Tikki…what if…what if he rejects me? I wouldn't ever be able to go to school anymore! I mean, I'm not like Chloe, I'm not rich or pretty! Adrien definitely _can't_ like me!" she buried her face in her hands, groaning loudly into them.

Tikki frowned, gently nudging the frustrated girl, "But Marinette, you'll never know if you don't try. And he doesn't even like Chloe! And I don't think Adrien is the type that only likes rich or pretty people, trust me Marinette, you'll be fine! Now call him!" her kwami looked far too eager, a kind, beaming smile on her face as she stared at Marinette expectantly.

Marinette took a deep breath, rubbing her sweaty hands over her pants to wipe away the moisture, before resolutely looking at her phone, "Alright…it's now or never, Tikki,"

Tikki smiled and leaned forward eagerly, eyes fixed onto Marinette's moving finger toward the 'call' button until a sudden _thud_ outside made Marinette jump.

Tikki quickly flew off the bed, at her chosen's side, Marinette looked all around, "What was that? An akuma?" she looked at Tikki.

The red kwami shook her head, a small, secretive smile on her lips, "No…but I don't think you'll be disappointed," she giggled before disappearing inside Marinette's desk drawer.

"What do you mean-" she was cut off by the familiar rasping on the hatch door.

Cautiously, Marinette stood up, grabbing her pillow on the way, not that a pillow would stop a thief or a burglar, but maybe distract him long enough until she called her parents for help?

With tentative footsteps, Marinette slowly opened the hatch door, and the door swung open to reveal messy blond hair and a pair of vivid green eyes staring back at her.

Marinette shrieked in surprise, slamming her pillow full force into the confused face of none other than Chat Noir, startling the poor superhero and making him stumble down the wooden ladders and into Marinette's bedroom with painful yelps.

"Marinette! Are you alright, sweetie?" Mrs. Dupain-Cheng called from downstairs worriedly and Marinette quickly tried to calm down her racing heart.

"I'm fine mama!" she called back shakily, her eyes flying down to the sprawled boy in a leather suit on the floor.

In her room.

"C-Chat Noir?" she blinked rapidly, stunned, "W-What are you doing here, kitty?"

Chat Noir groaned, one hand moving up to cradle his head, "I came by for a visit princess, but it seems like you're not in the mood for guests," he jumped to his feet, shaking his head to get rid of the dull pain from colliding with the floor.

Marinette crossed her arms, "If my guests include an annoying cat," as soon as she spoke those words Marinette realized she may have been a bit too harsh on her kitty this time, watching as the ears atop his head drooped, the small smile was still there, but the familiar twinkle from his eyes was gone, "No, wait, I'm sorry Chat-"

Chat held up a hand, "It's alright, Marinette, I'll drop by another time," moving to brush past her, Marinette firmly grabbing his wrist and the leather-clad hero stopped dead in his tracks, looking back at Marinette.

Her expression softened, apologetic and guilty, "I'm sorry Chat Noir, I was too harsh, I didn't mean it like that kitty, you can stay,"

Chat Noir looked at her for a moment, gauging her reaction, before a grin settled on his features, his bravado back, "Sounds good,"

Marinette sighed, slumping into her chair with Chat Noir settling on her bed, the scene had become something too familiar over the past few months, something Marinette was sure wasn't supposed to happen between a superhero and a civilian.

But here they were.

Alone in her room.

Staring at each-other.

Marinette made a dash for the cookie plate on her desk, "Do you want some cookies?"

Chat Noir's eyes immediately lighted up like a Christmas tree and Marinette had to giggle when he nodded his head rapidly, squirming in his seat from trying to contain his excitement as Marinette handed him the plate full of chocolate chip cookies.

"How _sweet_ of you princess, even a full plate!" he grinned widely, licking his lips.

Marinette rolled her eyes playfully, "You act like you were starving yourself for the past few hours, you always eat a whole plate when you come here," she couldn't help but smile in amusement at the embarrassed blush coloring the masked hero's cheeks, "Eat up kitty, there's more where that came from,"

At the prospect of more food, Chat purred happily, eagerly munching on the cookies at hand.

However, she noted his tense shoulders and the previous saddened expression on his face.

Maybe she was imagining it, but she didn't think he'd looked so sad from her words earlier. There must be a reason for it.

"Are you okay, Chat?" she looked at her secret partner expectantly and the cat swallowed the cookie in his mouth before answering her.

"Of course! Why do you ask, princess?" he rose an eyebrow and Marinette's hands kneaded into her pants leg.

"You…you just seemed a bit sad earlier," she tilted her head to the side, the action too endearing to the cat's eyes, "You know, you can talk to me about anything, right? Just like you promised me a while ago," she tried to encourage him to speak to her, to tell her what was wrong.

And finally he did, with a few more cookies and a few more, too hard swallows.

Chat's gaze saddened and grew visibly more serious, Marinette already had a weird feeling settling into the pit of her stomach, "It's…actually something my kwami told me today," his eyes were slightly distant and she couldn't remember if she ever saw him like that, "About…the previous Chat Noirs," his clasped hands tightened and Marinette's eyes widened.

 _Previous Chat Noirs?_

"The previous Chat Noirs? The ones before…you?" Marinette remembered Tikki speaking to her about it a few times, but she couldn't put her finger on why her kitten looked so saddened. What did his kwami tell him?

Chat's ears drooped, "Yeah," he sighed, "It wasn't what I expected. They…they weren't all that lucky," he chuckled, "Unlike my lady, us black cats are cursed with bad luck," he grinned, but the grin seemed so hollow, "And it seemed like their bad luck caught up," he swallowed thickly, "I'm sorry Mari, I didn't mean to scare you. It's…I just had to tell someone, I guess…"

Marinette frowned in concern, reaching forward to touch his forearm, "It's alright kitty, you know you can always come here," briefly thinking it over, Marinette pulled the sulking cat into her arms, gently running her fingers through his hair and rubbing his ears.

The familiar, low purring sound vibrated against her neck and Marinette felt Chat weakly wrap his arms around her before they tightened suddenly, claws lightly prickling her through her shirt.

"Shh…it's alright, kitty cat." The purring continued and Marinette took comfort in the fact that Chat Noir trusted her, plain old, clumsy _Marinette_ to sought her out in his time of need.

After a while, she finally dared to ask the question that's been burning on the tip of her tongue since he entered her room, "What…what exactly happened to them?"

Chat fell silent for a while, obviously thinking of what to say, until his grip tightened around her again and he nuzzled into her neck, "They…all died protecting Ladybug,"

She froze, her fingers stilling in his hair, eyes wide open in disbelief and horror, a feeling of dread filling her heart and making it feel as heavy as lead.

All the previous Chat Noirs…they died protecting _her_? Protecting _Ladybug_?

She didn't even notice when her own grip around him suddenly became as tight as a vice, she didn't notice her trembling state, nor that now her kitty stiffened in her embrace at her sudden shaking, she didn't even notice the hot tears sliding down her cheeks and over the leather material of Chat's suit.

She only noticed the strong arms around her, hugging her tighter now and her own embrace tightening around him.

She also noticed the whispered words she frantically kept whispering into his ear over and over again, " _Please, kitty, please stay safe, please don't die. Please Chat Noir, I can't bear to lose you, please kitty, please,"_

Chat Noir didn't quite understand the true depth of her words, but her last whispered words struck a chord in him.

 _"_ _Please don't die protecting me,"_

And suddenly, it all made sense.

"M-Marinette…"

"Y-you're…" his eyes widened.

Her grip around him only tightened, " _Please,"_

 **The end T_T I'm sorry, I've been in an awful mood myself lately and this was the product. Prompts are still welcome and loved! :)**


	9. Suspicious Noises

**A/N:** Hello dear readers! I'm so sorry for not updating in a while, life's been really getting in the way and I'm very stressed out. Thankfully, writing is my escape and I finally managed to get some inspiration too!

 **Accepting Christmas prompts! ;)**

 **Prompt: Where Alya visits her friend to bring her textbook back, however Alya may have gotten more than she bargained for when visiting Marinette…**

 **Rated T: for innuendos, a bit heated scenes nothing major, just teasing ;)**

* * *

 **Suspicious Noises**

"Oh, how nice of you Alya, I'm sure Marinette appreciates it a lot!" Sabine smiled kindly at the reporter and Alya playfully rolled her eyes.

"Don't worry, I'm just doing my duty as her friend. But seriously, this is the third time she left her textbook this week," Sabine rose an eyebrow at this newfound information.

"Really? The third? Marinette said it was only the second time," she rubbed her chin thoughtfully before her husband poked his head from around the corner.

"Wasn't it the sixth?"

Alya grinned, "Well, I'm off to give it to her, if you'll excuse me,"

Tom waved at her when she passed by the living room, "Feel free to help yourself to the cookies before you leave Alya!"

The reporter couldn't help but smile, "Thanks Mr. Dupain-Cheng!"

Just before her hand could curl around the doorknob to her friend's room, she heard strange tapping and clicking sounds followed by occasional groans and wails, "What the-?" Alya drew back, pressing her ear against the door.

More groans and wails of frustration, but they sounded too deep to belong to Marinette, however she _did_ hear Marinette talking then.

 _"_ _Heh, see? I win again! You just can't beat me kitty!"_

" _Kitty?_ " Alya rose an eyebrow but quickly concentrated on listening in to the conversation behind the closed door.

There was another voice, male and obviously breathless, " _Heh, I wouldn't be so smug princess. This is only round four and you forget, I beat you in round two,"_

Wait….the male voice was somewhat familiar…

Alya's eyes widened, " _Adrien?!_ _T-that sounds like Adrien! No, wait! Calm down girl! Why would Marinette invite Adrien over without calling me at least sixty times?! That's not like her, no, no, it can't be Adrien but then…who is she talking to?"_ fighting down the urge to pry open the door, Alya listened carefully.

 _"_ _Fine kitty, we'll see,"_

More clicking, a quiet thud and then more groans and moans.

 _"_ _C-Chat, quit stalling,"_

 _"_ _Chat?! As in Chat Noir?! What's a superhero doing in Marinette's ROOM?!"_ Alya shook her head, clutching her bag to her chest like a lifeline, nails digging into the durable material, " _What in the world is going on?!"_

 _"_ _I'm sorry purrincess, patience,"_

 _"_ _I-I don't have anymore patience! You've teased me enough, please chaton!"_

Her jaw dropped and Alya swore a fly could move in.

 _What the hell?!_

 _"_ _I like the way that sounds, purrincess,"_ there was a low purr before Marinette's irritated voice sounded again.

" _J-just do it, stupid cat!"_

A short pause, shuffling, clicking furiously, " _Your wish is my command,"_

Several frustrated groans were heard, followed by strange tapping sounds before there was a louder thud and Marinette's frustrated wail followed by Chat Noir's dark chuckle.

 _"_ _Not fair kitty!"_ she sounded irritated, _breathless_.

" _Sorry purrincess, but it had been my turn. Next time you'll be on top,"_

Alya covered her mouth, gasping silently into her hand.

 _"_ _You KNOW I can't control my movements that well when I'm on bottom! My eyes keep going up,"_

 _"_ _Now, now, I wonder where your sight has been straying m'lady,"_ Chat's low chuckle was quickly followed by Marinette's unamused snort, " _But we both had fun, hadn't we?"_

 _"_ _Y-yeah…thanks kitty,"_

 _"_ _It my pleasure, purrincess. Anytime you need me I'll be there,"_ there was something… _husky_ about his tone, something that definitely made Alya more than a little suspicious.

Nerves frayed by the seams, Alya finally did what she only saw in the movies and slammed the door open dramatically, finger automatically pointing accusingly in Marinette's direction, "Marinette Dupain-Cheng, how dare you get all frisky with Chat Noir and not tell me anything-" her expression suddenly fell, "…about it?"

Two pairs of eyes stared at her in confusion, a black controlled in Chat Noir's clawed hands, now gripped loosely by it's player as Chat gaped at her in surprise.

Marinette's red controller was a few feet away from her, upside down on the floor frpm where she had thrown it in her frustration and Alya could only gape like a fool.

"A-Alya?! W-what, what?"

Alya blinked back and forth between Chat Noir and Marinette, "Huh?! Y-you're not-? But I heard-!" Alya stuttered uncharacteristically, finger pointing shakily at both of them, "You were not….you know…doing the _deed_?" her voice was meek at the end, suddenly doubting her own previous thoughts.

Immediately, Marinette's face reddened, Chat Noir looked very flustered himself with his tail ramrod straight and his ears perked up, " _WHAT?!"_

Marinette shook her head furiously, "What are you talking about Alya?! W-we were just playing Mario Cart!" her blue haired friend gestured to the TV and for the first time since entering the room, Alya noticed the paused game.

There on the screen, was a green and red Mario player displayed in their respective cars. The red one was on the bottom part of the split screen while the green one was on top.

"A-and…the thing with you…on top?" Alya tilted her head to the side, arms crossed over her chest.

Marinette's face turned an even darker shade of red, if possible, "T-the screen for multiplayers is split into segments and I reflexively look up at the first player instead of the second so I-I can't really play that well as second player," she rubbed her neck sheepishly.

Alya turned her attention to the stunned cat, "And the thing with the patience and teasing?!"

Chat stiffened, head jerking up to look at Alya, "Uh…I kept winning in the race and-"

Marinette gently flicked one of his ears, "More like _cheating_ in the race, sly cat," she huffed in annoyance and crossed her arms and Chat momentarily forgot their surprise guest in favor of grinning at his friend.

Alya was flabbergasted, "I…I think I'm going home…with, with a cool pack…and a bucket of ice…and maybe a bag of sleeping pills to make me forget this…" placing the textbook absentmindedly on Marinette's chair, Alya sluggishly dragged herself downstairs, silently closing the door behind her.

Marinette and Chat Noir stared at the closed door for several more seconds in silence.

Then, Marinette hit him, _hard_ , " _Meowch!_ That hurt princess!" he rubbed at his upper arm.

Marinette growled, "It better! What were you _thinking_?! We almost got _caught_!" she blushed darkly, fingers nervously playing with themselves.

There it was again, that stupid, irresistible Chat smile and that stupid, _stupid_ sexy chuckle, "Don't tell me you didn't enjoy it," he purred, crawling over her as she leaned back on the floor, his handsome, grinning face above her.

She blushed, "B-but Alya was _right there_!"

The stupid cat chuckled in amusement, "It's always a little fun getting caught, right? Besides, she doesn't suspect a thing. I gotta admit princess, you're a natural at acting," he grinned goofishly.

Marinette's gaze narrowed, "I'll kill you in your sleep, kitty," Chat's grin only widened.

"That is, if you can get me to fall asleep, _purrincess._ I have a feeling like I'll be pretty busy tonight and that's not because of the akumas either," he lowered his lips down to hers and she melted into the kiss, tangling her hands into his already messy hair and tugging slightly.

She was breathless by the time his hot lips trailed sinfully passionate kisses down her neck, a hot trail of fire that made her gasp silently, "S-silly kitty,"

Chat smirked, soothing the hickeys he left on her collarbone with his tongue gently before covering them with her shirt, lifting his flushed face up to look her in the eyes, "Your kitty,"

Marinette sighed at the twinkle in his eyes and the adorable grin on his face, "Yeah…my kitty," she scratched gently behind his ear and the appreciative purr that greeted her made her smile and giggle.

They both laughed.

 **Phew, I know very short, but I'll try to update frequently and make the chapters a bit longer. R &R! :)**


	10. A Jealous Streak

**A/N:** Hi everyone! Another chapter for you :) **BTW:** The **art teacher here, my OC, Miss Marguerite LaRue** , leads the (fictional, **not canon** ) optional art lesson after school which Nathaniel attends _and_ is their main teacher at Arts and Crafts (which is like two times a week here). I had planned for Marinette to temporarily sign up for arts class after school the closer friends she's becoming to Nathaniel (as a way to get our favorite kitty jealous) :P **Oh and this two shot includes Adrientte as well as Marichat!**

 **MERRY CHRISTMAS MY FELLOW MIRACULOUS FANS! :)**

 **Prompt: Adrien gets jealous of Marinette working together with Nathaniel on an art project, Chat gets jealous after Evillustrator protects and helps Marinette.**

 **Rating: T**

 _Accepting_ _ **Christmas prompts!**_

* * *

 ** _A Jealous Streak_**

Adrien tapped his fingers rapidly against his desk and Nino's left eye twitched for the fourth time, "Dude, what's gotten you so riled up? You've been doing that for like ten minutes,"

He rose an eyebrow when Adrien's head snapped toward him as if he startled him, before shaking his head and making his fingers stop drumming against his desk, "Huh? What do you mean?"

Nino gestured at his now still hand, "Don't tell me you didn't notice that? You kept tapping your fingers all the time," his eyes narrowed slightly in suspicion, "What's eating at you?"

A million thoughts ran through Adrien's mind and none seemed reasonable by this point.

He didn't know why, but ever since the Evillustrator incident, which was _quite_ a way back, he noticed he was paying closer attention to Marinette, as Adrien and Chat Noir. Of course, he was only concerned for her safety, after all, akumas may be targeting her again in the future.

But this…he couldn't explain this. This wasn't even an akuma attack, Marinette wasn't even in danger and yet he could feel his imaginary cat fur stand on end.

He released a low growl when he heard laughter behind him and Nino's eyebrow shot up to his hairline, "Dude, did you just _growl_?"

Crap, his Chat was showing again.

Adrien cleared his throat, pounding his fist against his chest, "Sorry, had to clear my throat," he coughed for good measure, "Anyway, about our project…"

He grit his teeth at the sound of Marinette _and_ Nathaniel laughing behind him and Nino noticed the way he was almost strangling his pencil, "Man, Adrien, dude, stop you will kill your pencil," Adrien immediately snapped out of it and returned his attention to Nino.

"Ah, right, sorry," he released his pencil and settled for clenching a fist under the table.

* * *

Meanwhile, Marinette was laughing at something Nathaniel said.

"Don't tell me, you really did do that?" she covered her mouth while she giggled and Nathaniel had to chuckle at the memory.

"Well, it was Kim's fault really. I didn't notice Rose behind me and he shook my shoulder a bit too hard so I stumbled back and Rose…stumbled into Juleka," he stifled a laugh in his fist.

Marinette giggled, chancing a discreet look behind Nathaniel at Juleka and Rose who were immersed in their project, "Wow, so they really did… _kiss_?" she whispered the last part, leaning in closer to Nathaniel so only he heard.

The redhead blushed at their close proximity, but nodded nonetheless, "Y-yeah and since then I know they like each-other, the problem is _they_ don't know." He shook his head, "They both deny it meant anything and claimed it was just an accident. Well, it _was_ but for an accidental kiss, they sure took their time," he chuckled again and Marinette giggled, gently nudging his shoulder, "And their faces were redder than my hair, that has to mean something,"

"You know, after our project we could help them go on a date, what do you say?" Nathaniel rose an eyebrow, looking a bit uncomfortable.

"Oh…I-I don't really know Marinette, I'm not sure if they would appreciate that. I mean, I want them to be happy, but I don't know if forcing them on a date would be a good idea," he shrugged.

Marinette shook her head, both her hands settling on Nathaniel's shoulders and he felt a blush slowly creeping on his cheeks, her fingers leaving an electric current surging through him, "No, no, don't worry. We could all go out on that summer festival and we would just all go our own way and leave them two alone to enjoy it together," she smiled, "Besides, I doubt they wouldn't be happy, on top of having feelings for each-other, they're good friends, so it won't be that awkward from the start," she beamed happily, still failing to notice the effect she had on him.

Nathaniel couldn't help but smile back, rubbing at his neck, "Yeah…I guess you're right," he looked down at his drawings, "I, um, I drew something for our project but I'm not sure if that fits the theme," he showed Marinette some of his drawings he speed-drew the minute Miss LaRue announced the groups and the themes.

Their particular theme was the natural element, where they had to draw something, anything even people, in their natural element where they behave like themselves. The trick was to draw someone having completely natural reactions, which was difficult when said person was meant to be still for a few minutes while Marinette and Nathaniel had to draw them and capture the emotions from the situation and on the person's face and body language.

The pictures were of Marinette and on each one she was doing something that Alya would dub as 'Marinette-like'.

Tripping over her own two feet when greeting Adrien in the morning in a stuttering mess, smiling brightly at something Alya said, glaring at Chloe with her hands on her hips while defending a classmate from her and playing with her fingers when she felt shy or embarrassed.

Marinette's eyes were wide in amazement as she looked at each picture, finally looking at a red-faced Nathaniel, "N-Nath, these are great!" the redhead's face shot up to look at her in surprise.

"H-How did you manage to draw me so quickly?" she looked particularly at the one where she had a stare down with Chloe just this morning about bullying Alix, their stare down had only lasted a minute or two before Miss Bustier entered the classroom.

Nathaniel shrugged, scratching his cheek, "I-I practice a lot," at Marinette's confused expression, Nathaniel quickly elaborated, red faced with flailing hands, "I-I mean um, I-I practice drawing p-people a lot I mean, n-not you, I mean I do sometimes draw you but I-wait, I mean," he tried getting his stuttering under control, knowing he just wrote his own death sentence by confessing he actually had _more_ pictures of Marinette, all drawn _without her permission._

Instead of getting angry or feeling violated, Marinette laughed heartily.

Nathaniel didn't understand, he suspected this was one of those moments Juleka and Rose had told him about, how he just didn't understand how a girl reacts to certain situations because he only ever spends time with a girl when it was with them.

Bluebell eyes shone brightly in amusement and her smile was like the sun itself, "Nath, that's amazing! I mean, I always knew you were really good at drawing but this is just great! You even drew my freckles!" this time she blushed in embarrassment, "Eh, I thought they weren't so noticeable…" she sighed, consciously tracing them.

Nathaniel, in a uncharacteristic moment of confidence, bravely spoke up, although quietly, "I think your f-freckles are just f-f-fine,"

He couldn't bear to look at her, it would be his undoing, but when she didn't speak for several moments, he grew even more anxious and decided to chance a look at her face.

Her cheeks were a light pink, a color he usually only ever saw her get around Adrien, and she was smiling softly at him, "Thank you, Nath,"

His heart skipped several beats and he smiled timidly, playing with his hair that clashed with his bright pink cheeks.

She said his drawings were amazing.

She thanked him.

Nathaniel felt like he was on cloud nine when Marinette started to laugh at his barely suppressed grin.

* * *

" _Dude_ , this is like the sixth time! What are you even looking at?" Nino turned his head to look behind him, spotting Alya and Mylene jutting down notes for their project, Alya noticed his stare and waved, Nino smiled and waved back, before his gaze trailed over the rest of his class, "I seriously don't see what you could be looking at-" his eyes froze on a certain pair.

Marinette and Nathaniel were at the far back, laughing about something together, Marinette more so than the redhead, the boy looked a bit red in the face, but Nino assumed it was because of the close proximity to Marinette, since he knew he liked her.

Nino's eyes narrowed suspiciously when Adrien's gaze automatically followed his, before he quickly turned around, a little _too_ quickly.

"Dude,"

"What?" Adrien looked at his friend defensively.

"Dude,"

"What?" Adrien rose an eyebrow, feeling slightly agitated at Nino's prying.

" _Dude!_ "

" _What, Nino?"_ Adrien was about to say something more until Nino leaned in close to him and whisper shouted right next to his ear.

" _I can't believe you're jealous of Nathaniel!"_ Adrien's eyes widened and he quickly drew back from his friend in shock.

What?

 _Him_ jealous of _Nathaniel_?

Not that he had anything against the boy, he barely knew him outside of greeting him from time to time and working on some projects here and there, in very rare cases.

"I'm not _jealous_ , who gave you that idea?" he couldn't believe what Nino made up, how did that even make sense?

Nino adjusted his glasses, as if making sure what he was seeing was correct, "You've been in a bad mood since Miss LaRue announced the pairs for the project, you kept tapping your fingers against the desk or started growling like some animal whenever Marinette or Nathaniel laughed together." Adrien huffed, pretending to stretch as he turned his head slightly, before freezing up at Nino's words, " _And_ you keep looking back to see what they're doing,"

Adrien visibly straightened, shaking his head, "What? No, no of course not! You're insane Nino, I'm not jealous of Nathaniel and I don't have anything against him spending time with Marinette. Besides, it's a group project, you have to spend some time with your partner after all." He shrugged, trying to bury down the conflicting feelings waging a war in his stomach.

Nino leaned his elbow on the desk, eyes narrowed accusingly at the male model, "Oh, really? So, you didn't hear Nathaniel asking Marinette out to the summer festival?" he rose an eyebrow, his grin almost evil.

When Adrien looked at him, he was the picture of innocence, "…What?"

Quickly, Adrien adjusted his tone and composed himself, "So, what? Marinette can go to the festival with whoever she wants, I'm sure Alya will go with her anyway,"

Now he was sure, Nino _was_ grinning like those evil witches in fairy tales, "I heard it would just be the two of them," he shrugged, pretending to read the messy notes he scribbled down on his notebook, "So, anyway, when do you want to meet up for the project?"

Adrien's face was serious when he asked him this, "…When's the summer festival anyway? Maybe we could go there too,"

Nino grinned, already forming a plan inside his mind. All he needed was to consult Alya about it and it would all set into motion, "As far as I know, in two weeks," he leaned in closer, "Why?"

Adrien ignored the weird feelings brewing inside of him, as well as the teasing chuckle that came from the inside of his shirt, "Just asking," he shrugged.

Nino looked at Marinette and Nathaniel from the corner of his eyes and his grin widened when he noticed Adrien wasn't looking at him anymore, " _Sure_ ,"

* * *

"Hey, mom, can Nathaniel come over today? We need to work on a group project for Miss LaRue's class," Marinette smiled when her mother put the freshly baked cupcakes in the display case, each cupcake with a different colored swirl of frosting on top.

"Sure, he can sweetie. Hmm…Nathaniel…isn't that the boy that can draw really well?" Sabine smiled brightly at her daughter.

Marinette smiled, "Yeah, he is. He's also a part of Miss LaRue's after class art lessons," she nibbled absentmindedly on a chocolate croissant and her mother smiled.

"Do you need any help with your project?" she stored away the clean kitchen utensils, making space for when she would need to bake another batch of cookies.

Marinette washed down the croissant with water, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand, "No, thank you mama. Could you just show Nathaniel to my room when he comes?" before she could dash up the stairs, Marinette stopped dead in her tracks, her voice a low whisper, "And don't let papa distract him with his puns!"

Sabine giggled, nodding before looking after her daughter in amusement.

"…What's so bad about my puns? And I thought they were perfect," Tom crossed his arms, emerging from behind the kitchen.

Sabine smiled and placed a hand on her husband's forearm, winking at him, "Don't worry sweetie, I always laugh at your _yolks_ ," she giggled.

Tom's eyes sparkled, and he enveloped his wife in a hug, "You punned! I love you!" Sabine could only laugh as she hugged her enthusiastic husband back.

* * *

"That sounds really exciting!" Tikki floated above Marinette's head, giggling when she cupped her hands under her and Tikki settled down on her warm palms, facing her, "I'm sure you're a great inspiration for him Marinette!"

The blue haired girl sighed, "But how Tikki? I mean, I'm really clumsy and awkward and the problem is he drew it _so well_! I can remember _exactly_ what I felt at the time just by looking at his drawings!" she hung her head in defeat, "Oh Tikki, I'm not sure I can be a big help on this. I'm not too good at drawing people, I can sketch clothes and designs but that's as far my artistic skills go. I usually avoid drawing people if I can help it,"

Tikki flew to her face and gently lifted her chin, "I'm sure you'll be fine Marinette, trust in yourself more! You can draw just as well as Nathaniel if you put your mind to it, I'm sure of it!" she did a pirouette mid-air, giggling, "Besides, you're a big part of the whole project! Nathaniel needs a scenery or person to draw for in their natural element, right? You can be his model!" the small kwami giggled.

Marinette blinked.

 _His model?_

Suddenly, Tikki zipped right past her and flew into her drawer just as a knock sounded on the door to her room and a timid voice spoke behind the wood, "Um, m-may I come in? It's me, N-Nathaniel,"

Eyes widening, Marinette quickly made sure nothing was amiss in her room and quickly corrected a few things on her desk that were previously strewn about and finally she opened the door and was greeted by the timid redhead, "Hi Nathaniel! Come in!" Marinette grinned and stepped aside and the boy shyly made his way into her room.

He looked slightly out of place, as if he didn't know what to do or if he was even allowed to sit or touch anything. Luckily, Marinette was there to help, placing a calming hand on his shoulder, which made him jump, "You can put your bag there, there's a chair over there if you want to sit down or you can sit on my bed, it's no problem,"

Blushing, Nathaniel gently set his bag beside Marinette's desk and after nervously clutching his notebook against his chest, he settled for sitting on Marinette's swiveling chair.

Marinette sat down on her bed and in that moment, a knock sounded on her door and her father's head poked out in the next second, "Cookies anyone? Fresh from the bakery!" he laughed heartily, holding up a plate full of the delicious goods.

Marinette was about to protest, but seeing the puppy dog look on Nathaniel's face, she accepted them from her father and thanked him, pointedly staring at him. Tom caught the hint and grinned brightly at Nathaniel before disappearing downstairs again at his wife's call.

Marinette set them down on her desk and after nodding reassuringly at Nathaniel, the redhead tentatively took a cookie and chewed on it.

"So, um, what should we draw for the project?" Marinette rubbed her chin thoughtfully, looking all around her room.

Then, her eyes widened.

 _The pictures!_

Barely suppressing a shriek of horror, Marinette raced toward the wall and promptly, but carefully, took off all wallpapers and pictures of Adrien, quickly storing them in her closet before Nathaniel could take another look.

Nathaniel spoke after swallowing down his cookie, "Y-You don't have to hide them from m-me," there was something sad in his eyes that made Marinette's heart heavy with guilt, "I m-mean, Adrien is a model and I-I know you like him Marinette so it's okay to leave them really," he offered her a small smile beneath his bangs.

Marinette could shoot herself over and over again, "I'm so sorry Nath! I completely forgot!" she sat back down on her bed and looked nervously at her friend, who shrugged.

"It's okay honestly, it's fine," he offered her another shy smile, "Too bad you were so fast, it would have been the perfect moment to draw you," he chuckled softly, a fierce blush clashing horribly with his red hair.

Marinette froze, before laughing along with him when she relaxed and realized he was only joking, "Hey, that's not fair," she giggled, smiling brightly at her friend.

"I think I could draw you in every day things you do, you know, after you get home from school and such," Nathaniel took out his pencil, flipping his notebook to a clean page.

Marinette froze up again, realizing with a sense of dread that usually, after she came home from school she would do a solo patrol or sometimes with Chat Noir through Paris and meet up later with Chat for their nightly patrols.

Crap.

"Uh, after school, what I do, I uh…" Marinette scratched the back of her head, searching for answers, "I, uh, do a lot of things! I work on my designs and sketch a few clothes and, and…" scanning the room for any clues, Marinette's face lightened up, "And I read sometimes and work on my Ladybug and Chat Noir dolls," she quickly retrieved said dolls from beside her pillow, showing them to a curious Nathaniel, who took them gingerly in his hands, as if afraid he would break them.

She giggled shyly, "Y-yeah…I babysit a little girl from time to time and she really likes Ladybug and Chat Noir so I made these to play with her whenever she comes over,"

Nathaniel smiled, marveling at the details and careful threads and colors used for their costumes, "Wow, these are great Marinette," he looked at her then, turquoise eyes looking at her with adoration she usually showed whenever she looked at Adrien.

Marinette fidgeted with her fingers shyly, smiling brightly at the compliment, "You…really think so?"

Nathaniel nodded without hesitation, "Yeah, I mean you're usually great – I-I mean your drawings are, I mean- not that I usually know what your drawings or creations look like but um," his blush grew worse, threatening to overtake his entire face, "W-what I meant was, that, um, you're really good at these things Marinette,"

She smiled, feeling appreciation blossom in her chest for the shy artist before her, "Thank you Nath," she giggled into her hand, "I'm glad Alya is not the only that likes them," she winked, giggling.

Nathaniel chuckled, smiling as he watched her laugh.

Both teenagers froze when a strange, scratching noise sounded on the hatch from the outside.

When Marinette rushed to her window to see what it could possibly be, she was met with vibrant, green eyes.

It was Chat Noir.

 **And…cliffhanger! Yes, I'll write a part 2 to this! :) I hope the characters weren't too OOC here, I do know that I wrote Nathaniel a bit too OOC (I have to work on his character more .)** If you have any ideas for the second part, feel free to write them in a review!


	11. A Jealous Streak Part 2

**A/N: Back again with more chapters! :)** I'm sorry for the wait, a particular feature of my homework drove me up the walls and I had to at least partially do that before writing another chapter (as guilty-free as possible ;) haha

 **INFO:** In this **akuma battle,** I deliberately used different marks for the French system. I researched a bit and found out they have grading points (0-20) but I thought it would be too complicated executing the fight with a bunch of numbers flying around so I alternated to common American marks/grades (A,B,C,D,F…etc.) Oh and _sorry_ for the very lame name for the akuma, I just couldn't think of something good! . **P.S: I'M SO SORRY FOR THE LONG CHAPTER! T_T**

 **ANSWERS TO REVIEWS:**

 **SylverIscariot:** Thanks so much! :3 I hope I didn't disappoint too badly!

 **RavenPuffPrefect1296:** Aw, thank you :) Let's hope it's not as awful as I think it is, thank you for reviewing :)

 **Prompt: Continuation of** ** _"A Jealous Streak" (Chapter 10)_**

 **Rating: T**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

 **A Jealous Streak Part 2**

 ** _Previously on "The Smitten Kitten & The Lovestruck Princess"…_**

 _Both teenagers froze when a strange, scratching noise sounded on the hatch from the outside._

 _When Marinette rushed to her window to see what it could possibly be, she was met with vibrant, green eyes._

 _It was Chat Noir._

Marinette's thoughts ran wild, thinking of possible patrol appointments or other arrangements she forgot she had with Chat Noir, until she realized he was here to see _Marinette_ and _not_ his Lady.

Which brought the question forth… _why_?

As far as she knew, Chat Noir would usually get himself a head start on patrol on his side of Paris before it was time for them to meet and update each-other on their patrolling progress. But it was too soon, two hours until their scheduled meeting, two hours where he shouldn't be _prowling_ through Paris' streets and rooftops and visiting innocent and completely uninvolved civilians.

Wait, did she just _pun_?

Shaking her head, Marinette unlatched the window to her room and she wanted to send him some type of telepathic message to _not just casually jump into her room like he did so many times before and cause Nathaniel to think he did this often!_

The cat looked as comfortable as ever, standing there with his hands on his hips and that wide cocky grin on his face, she almost wanted to get her squirt bottle out.

"C-Chat Noir, w-what a surprise! What are you doing here?" her eyes rapidly moved from a stunned and visibly uncomfortable Nathaniel to the smug looking hero.

Chat crossed his arms, grinning, "Why hello there princess, can't I just visit my favorite Parisian this fine day?" his eyes were alight with mirth and she wanted to indulge him and poke fun at him, but _Nathaniel_ was here and she didn't want anyone from her class to know of her familiar relationship with one of Paris' heroes!

Rigidly, she began pushing him in the direction of her window, "Oh my! Well, what a complete surprise! The last time I saw you that was… _so long ago_ and don't you have patrols to do?" Chat seemed surprised by her sudden attitude and her pushing him out, firmly planting his feet on the ground to gain some leverage and he caught her elbows just as her nose was about to painfully make contact with his chest.

The scene was oddly familiar to Marinette, with all her clumsy actions whenever Adrien was around and he would catch her like that, or the few times where he caught her like that while she was Ladybug. Thankfully, she managed to control the burning blush from spreading little more than to her cheeks.

"Please wait, purrincess! I just got here and I have happened to miss your lovely company," he steadied her and looked on in amusement as she tried composing herself, this side of her more familiar as Adrien than her sassy side she displayed toward Chat Noir and it was making him feel his plan was a success, judging by the very uncomfortable look on Nathaniel's face.

Adrien would have wanted to sink through the floor and immediately try to apologize to the redhead, after all he did nothing wrong and he was a good guy. He would have fled the scene to leave them alone and do their thing with his head bowed.

But _this_ was Chat Noir. Nobody expected anything from him to behave a certain way, his actions weren't dictated by any fashion code or his father, the mask was there, the _freedom_ was there. And he wouldn't run with his tail between his legs.

Nathaniel remained quiet in the background, hand clutching his pencil so hard Chat Noir swore his sensitive ears might have picked up the beginnings of splintered wood. However, Marinette's feisty attitude was back full force as she rounded on the unsuspecting cat, "I'm sorry Chat Noir but Nathaniel and I have a project for school to prepare for and I don't have any time." She shot him a look that could potentially kill any protests from bubbling from his mouth, "And since you only ever visit _very rarely_ to check up on me and see if any akumas were here, the answer is no. No akumas, no danger. You can go and do your superhero work!" she waved frantically, her eyes daring him to act out of line.

And finally he understood. She was trying to hide the fact that she knew him, or was familiar with outside of chance rescues from akuma attacks here and there. Nathaniel was by no means a gossip, but an accidental slip of tongue during nerve wracking moments, which weren't a rarity for poor Nathaniel, it could cause Alya to start stalking her friend like a demon possessed to get her latest scoop, Nino to tease her _and_ him and not to mention Chloe to have new bullying material.

Fighting off the strong urge to act out of line and tease her familiarly like he had slowly gotten used to over his more-or-less frequent trips to her balcony, Chat Noir instead bowed gracefully, professional distance between them, "Apologies milady, it seems I've intruded and overstayed my welcome," he straightened his posture and grabbed at his baton, "If you happen to see any akumas in the vicinity, please stay inside until Ladybug or I arrive, they may still be targeting you," he nodded at her, then looked at Nathaniel.

"Ah, Nathaniel, right? I've heard you were a good artist," at the redhead's confused look, Chat supplied smoothly, "From what Marinette told-I mean told her _journalist friend_ , which I have happened to overhear, you were the best in class,"

He felt bad, honestly he did. If he weren't secretly Chat Noir, and if a superhero would just waltz into a girl's room he was having a project with and acting all alpha-male and playful, he suspected Adrien would want to bolt or wish he weren't there. Nathaniel was _nice_ , just because Chat Noir wasn't expected to act a certain way like Adrien, _didn't_ mean he could act like a jerk.

Nathaniel, meekly gathering his courage, nodded slightly, "Um, yes, I…I guess I'm good," he shrugged, clutching desperately at the pencil in his lap, before he curiously lifted his head, "I didn't know heroes also check up on citizens from time to time,"

Marinette imperceptibly froze, searching for answers to say until Chat calmly beat her to it, "I've visited that boy from the Bubbler incident…Nino, was it? After the akuma attack," he shrugged, "We don't always have the opportunity, but I was in the area and decided to drop in," he smirked and Marinette rolled her eyes.

"Right, well goodbye Chat Noir," curtly, he nodded, hiding a smile as he extended his baton and was out of her room in a flash.

Huffing, Marinette quickly closed the window least the stray cat decided to _drop in_ again.

Nathaniel wasn't stupid, surely he would question her why _Chat Noir_ of all people would visit her and not Ladybug. Or why Ladybug never visited him. Or why Chat acted so familiar earlier but was suddenly all formal after he little speech.

She didn't know why he decided to drop in now, she also had no clue why he had behaved the way he had. It was not unusual per se, but he must have had the common sense to _not_ act familiar around her when somebody else was present. She would need to have a talk with him as Ladybug when it was time for patrols later.

Turning to her friend, who seemed just slightly more comfortable now that the masked superhero was gone, she tried searching for the right words to say, "Um, I'm sorry about that Nathaniel. From what I can tell on the Ladyblog, Chat Noir can be quite a handful and I guess he just proved it," she smiled sheepishly, "W-well uh, right!" Marinette grinned, "The project! So, you're going to draw me right? How do you want me?"

Marinette was pretty sure she hadn't said anything that might cause what looked like concussions or mini heart attacks, but she was pretty sure Nathaniel had just suffered both on the spot as his eyes widened, pupils dilated and he was staring at her like she had grown a second head.

Just then, no thanks to her slow mind, she realized in what _other way_ her words could be interpreted, "A-ah, as a drawing model o-of course! S-should I start sewing or drawing or uh," she behaved like a fool, which definitely wasn't a first, but did she _have_ to inflict that embarrassment on poor Nathaniel?

To her surprise, instead of growing mute and flustered, he started to laugh.

His cheeks were red, clashing with his hair fiercely, but his voice was kind when he spoke, "Um…i-if you don't mind, I would like to draw you when you sew or work on your designs," he smiled shyly and Marinette slowly removed her hands from covering her face in embarrassment.

She blinked, her nerves calming down, "Oh…" she smiled, giggling at her stupidity, "I'm sorry Nath…guess _I'm_ the one that's a handful, huh?" she shook her head, standing to switch places with him on her bed and her on her desk, taking out a few unfinished drafts for dresses she had started working on for the summer festival.

Nathaniel hesitantly sat on her bed after more prodding from his friend, he didn't know if he was crossing a line sitting on a girl's bed and he was sweating just thinking how her parents would react seeing him sitting there when they would come up to check on them, but Marinette said it was okay, so maybe it wasn't that bad.

With shaky hands, Nathaniel gripped his notebook and pencil, "R-right, um, could you maybe turn this way a bit?" he gestured awkwardly, and Marinette followed obediently, angling her face, "A-and um, just sit like you always do, I-I guess," he cursed himself for stuttering around her all the time.

But Marinette didn't seem to mind, slowly relaxing until she positioned herself familiarly with her legs curled in on her chair, sitting comfortably and beginning to draw invisible lines on her draft with her pencil.

Soon, she started to lose herself in her own work, completely forgetting Nathaniel was there, watching her like a hawk and drawing her.

Nathaniel had long since forgotten his embarrassment, mostly since her attention wasn't on him anymore and he had the rare opportunity to gaze at her all he wanted, to finally capture her real beauty when she did things she enjoyed and felt comfortable with. Here, with her attention elsewhere, nobody would judge him or look at him the wrong way when they noticed he was staring at her. It felt so surreal, here in her room, on her bed, with her _alone_ , getting to draw her with _her permission_.

He felt more relaxed, feelings of guilt or embarrassment completely nonexistent now. He drew the soft lines and contours of her face, accentuated further by the soft, warm glow of her lamp. The focused expression on her face as she lost herself in her designs, the gentle curving of her lips when she saw something pleasant.

Nathaniel thought he was dreaming and then he remembered his time as the Evillustrator, how brave and bold and _smooth_ he had been talking to her, inviting her to his birthday, having that boat ride…

Until it was ruined by Chat Noir…and with her betrayal.

Feelings of bitterness had lingered only briefly when another akuma attack happened, he understood her reasoning after only thinking for a while. Personal feelings aside, Marinette had been in a vulnerable position with an akumatized person, even with his promise to not hurt her, he understood if she had felt insecure and had accepted the offered help from Chat Noir. Akumatized people were dangerous, unpredictable, anything could happen at any given moment and he would have acted similarly had he been in her position then. She had acted surprisingly brave, agreeing to meet up despite knowing the dangers. His admiration, after the bitterness receded, only grew towards her. He understood, he couldn't have stayed bitter no matter what.

After all, he only knew too good what it was like losing control over your own movements, like Hawk Moth had tried to control his on the boat ride. He had never meant for the boat to sink, much less with Marinette still on it and he couldn't help but still feel the same twinge of guilt whenever he looked at her now.

He stiffened when she moved briefly, before relaxing into her original position and his heart tightened at the small smile on her beautiful face.

He was in so deep.

* * *

It had been odd, to be sure.

He nearly felt like the stalker Plagg had called him this very same day before his transformation.

Perched on top of a roof, eyes trained like a hawk on the window of the girl's room, the very same room he had been kicked out of, where Nathaniel was sitting on her bed, _her bed_ , eyes trained on Marinette like…like…like his own were whenever his lady was around doing something awesome again…

Chat groaned, slumping his head, what should he _do_?

He blamed Plagg for this!

He knew Marinette was only a good friend, he also knew she had no romantic feelings for Chat _or_ Adrien, so the logical conclusion had to be his stupid cat instincts being protective of a friend that fed him whenever he visited and scratched his ears or ruffled his hair.

Her touches reminded him of his lady's oddly enough, identical stroking motions, same pressure, the only difference was, his lady's were brief and quick with limited time while fighting an akuma, and Marinette's were slow and unhurried, which also had a very embarrassing side effect.

Purring.

He had _definitely_ Plagg to blame for this.

As much as he tried to suppress the embarrassing feline noises, it got harder and harder whenever Marinette's hand would absentmindedly trail through his messy hair or run gentle, soothing patterns on his ear or under his chin.

He suspected she sometimes forgot he was actually a guy beneath all his cat tendencies and _clawsome_ puns, she _did_ have her own pet names for him after all.

She was usually so scared around Adrien, he had begun to think she was afraid of guys in general, but the relaxed way she could talk to Nino when he had helped him on his 'date' was proof she definitely wasn't afraid of their gender.

…Her interactions with Nathaniel were even more solid proof.

He wasn't a fool, he knew Nathaniel's feelings towards her and had only wanted to protect his pure, innocent princess from harm.

…Then again, _Nathaniel_ of all people was the last to try anything a girl, _especially_ Marinette, wouldn't like or approve of. He remembered all the times how he would shy away whenever Marinette would be a bit too close, or blush uncontrollably when Marinette did or said something that made him happy.

He sighed, running a hand down his face as he watched, transfixed and a bit irked, at the way Nathaniel seemed to gaze at Marinette like she was a goddess. Something deep within his chest clawed to reach the surface, and he felt his legs jerk in motion, nearly toppling over the roof before he used his cat-like reflexes to maneuver away from the edge and land on his butt.

Shaking his head, he quickly got up, and that weird feeling was back again when Nathaniel smiled at Marinette, the girl completely oblivious about the redhead's obvious infatuation with her.

Chat Noir sighed again. It wasn't his business, Marinette had no idea who he was behind the mask and even if she did, it gave him even less of a reason to start prying in her love life, since _Adrien_ had even less interactions with her than _Chat Noir_.

Tearing his gaze away from the scene, Chat readied to extend his baton and head home until a sudden thought made him freeze in his tracks.

….

…..

 _How did she know I have patrols?_

* * *

Ladybug was the first one to reach the Eiffel Tower, keeping a lookout for her feline companion.

Her eyes caught movement from the right and after her vision adjusted to the darkness, she could see the shock of blonde hair from Chat's all black suit as her partner vaulted off the ground with the help of his baton and catapulted gracefully at her side, arm resting on her shoulder and grin in place, "Good evening m'lady, missed me?" she rolled her eyes playfully, nudging him slightly.

"Hello to you too chaton," she smiled, "Well, since I don't have any cats of my own, I sure missed my kitty," she scratched him gently behind his ear and a short purr reached her ears. She retraced her hand and Chat instinctively followed her hand but stopped himself, a sheepish grin on his face at her amused look.

She giggled, "So, I heard you were visiting a certain someone today," she smiled.

His eyebrows lifted in question, "Really? How?" he tilted his head to the side. He was pretty sure Alya didn't mention anything on the Ladyblog, not that she knew anything either and he was pretty sure he was careful nobody spotted him landing on Marinette's balcony either.

Ladybug paused for a moment before shrugging, "I…may see Marinette from time to time, you know saving her a couple of times from er…akuma attacks and all," she smiled, cursing herself for mentioning it in the first place.

Oh…so maybe that was why Ladybug wasn't around…but he never saw her rescuing Marinette before…usually he stumbled upon the bluenette here and there during akuma incidents and his lady would always join the fight later after everyone got to safety.

He dismissed the thought, crossing his arms in amusement, "Ah, I see." A sudden thought struck him, "Say, do you often _chat_ with Marinette?" his ears perked up straight in interest and Ladybug had yet to figure out how he did that. She rolled her eyes at the pun and his following grin.

She grew slightly nervous but played it off, walking a little away from him so her back was to him, he didn't need to see the panicked look on her face, "Uh, well, sort of, sometimes, rarely ever really," her voice was meek at the end, "Why?"

He shrugged, "I uh, I met her by chance today," claws gently ran through his messy hair, "And I guess I was an unwelcome stray this time around, she was with her friend, I think Nathaniel was his name? Anyway, she obviously didn't want me around and asked if I had any patrols today," he looked at her back, "I just thought you may have mentioned something,"

Ladybug stiffened.

 _Crap._

 _"_ Uh, oh! Right! Right! Yes, I uh, well you know Al-ah, her reporter friend? She wanted a few infos and I guess I mentioned somewhere that we patrolled together," she laughed nervously, hoping her partner didn't detect her unease.

Chat remained silent but nodded slowly. He didn't see anything on the Ladyblog about that, it must have slipped past him.

"Oh, okay," Chat Noir shifted, eyes scanning the silent night, "Anything happened on your end, bugaboo?"

Ladybug smiled at the familiar nickname, "No, nothing out of the ordinary, what about you kitty?"

Chat smiled, "Not a single disturbed soul in Paris," he gestured broadly, grin wide, "How about we take to the skies and see where the breeze takes us?" she couldn't help but laugh, grabbing her yoyo as Chat readied his baton.

Her yoyo latched onto a lamp post and she launched into the air with her partner right behind her, "Sorry _chaton_ , but I can't recall if cats learned to fly yet!" she smirked, "Ladybugs though? No _purrblem_!"

Chat almost crashed against said lamp post, head whipping about and eyes dilated and large, " _You punned! My lady punned!_ "

Ladybug laughed, carefree and happy when her partner jumped after her, with pleads for more _clawsome_ puns.

She indulged him.

Just a little.

* * *

"Dude, you look horrible man," Adrien shot Nino a look, before the teen raised his hands in defense, "Hey, no offense but…seriously did someone attack you last night? You look like someone bashed you in with a baseball bat or somethin',"

There was a red mark on his face, from the harsh impact against the lamp post last night as Chat Noir, where he was so stunned his lady had unexpectedly punned, that he crashed against it, face first.

"….I slipped…during a photoshoot," well, his lying skills had certainly seen better days.

Nino deadpanned, "…with a paddle?" Adrien gently punched his friend in the shoulder and Nino laughed, "Sorry dude, it's just…man I bet that hurt,"

Adrien absentmindedly caressed the slightly sore spot, smiling goofily at the memory of his lady, making _cat puns_ , "Yeah….it was good,"

"What?"

"What?" Adrien had that deer in the headlights look, eyes wide and grin sheepish.

Nino rose an eyebrow suspiciously, "…. _Maybe_ your head suffered some more damage,"

Adrien rolled his eyes, "I'll be fine," one glance backwards confirmed his earlier suspicions, Marinette was talking to Nathaniel, looking over sheets of paper, most likely their project from last night.

 _Last night._

 _Alone in her room._

 _Nathaniel sitting on her bed._

 _Alone in her room._

 _With her._

 _Alone in Marinette's room._

 _With Marinette._

"Man we _talked_ about this!" the blond model quickly whirled around to regard a eye rolling Nino, "I thought you said she was _just a good friend_ ,"

Adrien scoffed, crossing his arms defensively, "Which she _is_. Maybe I just like to know what my friends do,"

Nino couldn't believe him, "Oh really? Adrien, I _swear_ , you gotta bring that interest up some time," voice turning into a whisper, Nino said quietly, "Preferably around her,"

Adrien rose an eyebrow, "What?"

"What?"

" _Nino!_ "

The teen laughed, clasping Adrien on his shoulder, "Sorry, sorry. Anyway, the summer festival is in two weeks, we could sign up and help with decorations and stuff. You up?"

Adrien thought for a moment, briefly going over his schedule in his head, "Definitely!" he pounded his fist gently against Nino's and Adrien felt a rush of excitement flood him.

He could help with the festival, he could decorate, he could do normal things that everyone else did. He was glad he was fighting tooth and nail to stay in school, he knew his father wasn't necessarily happy with this, but Adrien took comfort in the fact that he was still allowed to go to school.

A loud, piercing scream made his blood freeze to ice and Adrien quickly shot up from his seat, nearly bumping into Marinette had he not moved out of the way just so, "Woah!"

"Oh!" Marinette looked stunned, eyes blinking up at him. Adrien blinked back, "S-sorry!"

Ms. Bustier was directing the class to safety and Adrien tuned the outside noises out, "No problem, sorry I uh, gotta go to the restroom,"

A deep flush spread over Marinette's cheeks, "Y-yeah, too me! Uh, I m-mean, m-me too!" she grinned sheepishly and Adrien smiled before making a mad dash toward the doors.

While he ran in the opposite direction to the boys toilet, Marinette ran in the opposite and he felt a twinge of worry.

She shouldn't be going to the toilet when an akuma was somewhere in the school, he would have to deal with the akuma first then find her quickly to make sure she was safe.

His lady should arrive shortly too.

Quickly disappearing into the bathroom and into one of the stalls, Plagg flew out of his shirt, "Plagg, cla-"

But the kwami cut him short, "Not so fast you lovesick kitten!" Adrien blinked and Plagg released a sigh of exasperation, "I'll only do this if you _promise_ not to flirt with pigtail girl again. It's bad enough I have to tolerate your sappy romance confessions to Ladybug!"

Adrien flushed, "Plagg! Now's _not_ the time! There's an akuma on the loose!"

"Plagg, _claws out_!"

As it turned out, as soon as Chat Noir ran out of the boy's bathroom, there was a torrent of screaming and panicked students running for the exit and he didn't spot the akuma yet but he heard him.

The noise came from the lab.

Bracing himself, Chat dashed toward the chemistry room, dodging randomly flying objects thrown out of the room.

The akumatized person was furiously shuffling through a stack of papers, the teachers desk a mess and chairs all thrown about or turned upside down, "Where is it?! I can't find it!"

Chat jumped on one of the tables and rested his hands on his baton, grinning, "Hey! You're damaging school property there mister akuma!" he dodged an incoming tacker to the head, "Maybe I can help you look for what you want, that way nobody has to get hurt," he eyed the door behind him, the halls were still full of students and teachers.

This wasn't the first time the akumatized people did their own thing until Hawkmoth took control over them again so Chat braced himself, "I have to find my test! My test! It has to be here somewhere!" the akuma roared in rage, flipping the teacher desk over violently.

Chat studied him, he was tall, with a red letter _"A+"_ like a sign on top of his head, his clothes were a simple lab coat and glasses, which were tinted purple with green swirls. He held a pencil in his hand, which was white with a glowing tip. He resembled a crazy professor, but he looked to be about his age, he must be a student in the higher classes. The most ridiculous item were the fluffy slippers on his feet, "What are you supposed to be? A walking fashion disaster?" he couldn't help it, the _slippers_!

The akuma growled, pen whipping out suddenly from his breast pocket, " _Silence!_ " big bold letters appeared above his head, the letter ' _D'_ materializing in front of him, the letter was rapidly approaching Chat Noir's vision and the cat quickly jumped out of the way when the letter was close to make contact with, creating a sizeable dent in the wall instead.

He hissed.

" _I_ am Notiere, the student of justice! I'll put a stop to these flawed school systems and put an end to an endless cycle of bad marks! I shall be a new beacon of hope for students who struggle to fit in and excel at every subject! _I_ shall lead the schools and its students to success!" Chat rose an eyebrow, one hand on his hip while the other gesture toward him.

"….You're telling me you've become akumatized because…of a bad mark?" he tilted his head to the side.

" _No!_ Not _just_ because of a bad mark, students are untreated fairly because of the flawed school system, schools and universities grade stricter and it's harder to achieve your dream score." He clenched his fists tightly, "Why should one student suffer for one mistake? Or for a single bad mark on a test?! Where is the justice in that?!" Notiere glared menacingly and the butterfly shaped mask appeared before his face, Chat recognized it as a sort of communication device between Hawkmoth and his akumas.

Obviously, he wanted their Miraculouses, since the minute the butterfly mark disappeared, he glanced at the ring on his finger. Chat braced himself.

But it seemed like Notiere had a different agenda, "That can wait! For now, I shall unleash chaos upon strict teachers and offer a helping hand to anguished students!"

Chat's baton got in the way before the villain could jump out of the window, "Not so fast big guy, first let's have a little _chat_ about those marks of yours hm?" he swung his baton, "I happen to be _purrfectly_ good at chemistry and physics!" he leapt then and slammed his staff down to counter another letter coming way.

The letter 'D' caught onto his baton, staff going through the hole in the letter before the 'D' firmly fixated itself on his staff at the end and suddenly, Chat Noir couldn't lift his baton anymore, "What the-! You've got to be _kitten_ me!" he struggled to make his baton budge even an inch, "Well, this certainly a burden to carry," subtle muscles bulging from the exertion underneath his suit, Chat was forced to dodge when another letter made its way toward him.

He expertly maneuvered midair, spinning out of the way of the attacks and landing a kick to the akuma's overly large pencil, "No!" Notiere cried out, groaning in frustration and grabbing Chat's ankle, throwing him against a desk with great effort.

Chat narrowly missed the collision, swiftly turning around so his claws and feet crashed against the upturned desk a little too harshly, his very bones rattling against the impact, " _Meowch!"_

"I'll show you Chat Noir! I'll show everyone! Just because someone isn't good at physics or chemistry doesn't mean he has to fail the year!" Notiere seemed genuinely desperate and a pang of sympathy hit the superhero, "Don't you think it's unfair? Studying so _hard_ and doing the best you can to do your homework when all you get is a bad mark on your test!" Notiere's hands clawed at his hair in frustration, "Why stop me, _hero_? You go to school too, don't you? If you just leave me be, I could change the whole school system to suit our needs!" he grinned maniacally, arms raised into the air.

Chat frowned. He understood where the boy was coming from, but this was _wrong_. Quickly, he chanced a glance at his staff, the 'D' still firmly attached at its end, weighing it down. Where was his lady? For the time being he had to distract the akuma until she arrived to purify it.

Chat relaxed his defensive stance, walking slowly toward the tense akuma, who picked up his pencil, "You're wrong, Notiere. Just because you don't like something the way it is doesn't mean it's wrong," his gloved hand tightened, "Rules are meant to be followed and sometimes to be broken but…there's a reason why we have rules or why schools are the way they are." His expression softened, trying to reach out to the boy and not the akuma, "Just think, some kids can't even afford to go to school, they'd be happy to have rules to follow and get a chance to study and learn."

The boy looked at him scathingly, eyes glowing with deep mistrust, "Why should I listen to you, Chat Noir? You're a superhero! You probably don't have any problems at school or at following rules at all!"

A rueful smile crossed Adrien's face and his voice softened, "I know following rules isn't easy, you just want to break free from them and do what you want and be free. It's true, I do have good marks, but I struggle too and I have to study for tests too. Without some of my friends, I don't think I 'd have gotten through math alone," he chuckled, scratching the back of his neck, "So you see, even superheroes have difficulties in school. After all, they're human beneath the mask, just like you are beneath the akuma," Chat took another step forward, close enough to snag the pencil, "You're not a bad person Notiere, I'm sure of it," he offered a smile.

There was a moment where Chat Noir thought he had gotten through, until the familiar butterfly symbol appeared again and Notiere lunged forward, fingers outstretched for Chat's ring.

Quickly, he side stepped and jumped away.

 _"_ _Damn, just when I had him,"_ Chat quickly bounded toward his staff, trying to lift it with all his might, "Notiere! Please!"

But the boy was lost to reason, "No! You tricked me! Your words are lies Chat Noir!" his pencil glowed at the tip again and he readied to shoot Chat Noir with another letter again until he suddenly stumbled forward and lost his pencil, "Ooff!"

Chat rose an eyebrow, still struggling with his baton and watching the uneasy and wacky movements of Notiere.

What the hell just happened?

And then, it all became clear when Notiere flailed with his arms and turned his back to Chat Noir, only to reveal a struggling Marinette on his back, holding his eyes closed with her hands, " _M-Marinette_!?"

Chat blanched, visibly stunned that she didn't already run away like everyone else and-

 _What was she doing here?!_ Didn't she know how _dangerous_ this is?!

"Hey kitty! Sorry I'm late!" Chat cocked his head, confused.

"Late?" he watched Marinette's eyes widen in panic before she held on tighter to the struggling akuma, yelping.

"Well, u-uh I h-heard from the o-others that Ladybug wasn't here and someone needed to help yo-woah!" Marinette was unceremoniously flung off and Chat leaped to the side to catch her, her body hitting his and slamming them both against a desk with Chat bearing the brunt of it.

Marinette cursed, quickly getting off the groaning cat, "I'm so sorry!"

She really _was_ useless without the mask, she only got in the way, she-

No! She couldn't afford to think like that now, Chat Noir was in trouble and while she didn't have the protection of her suit or her superpowers, she was determined to help.

Alya had been sticking to her like glue since the teachers alerted them of another akuma attack in school and had dragged her along with the rest of the swarm of students, being difficult to find a safe place to transform. She had seen Chat Noir make a sprint to the chemistry room and had to help, with or without transformation.

But now she was beginning to see it did more harm than good, on top of being deprived of his baton, he had to concentrate on protecting her too.

Couldn't she do anything, right?

"Are you alright, Marinette?" she blinked, unused to being called by her real name by him.

"Y-yeah, I'm fine," she eyed him from head to toe, "Are you okay?"

Chat Noir nodded, taking a defensive stance in front of her the moment Notiere composed himself, enraged eyes focused on Marinette, "Don't interfere!" he started shooting more 'D's towards them and Chat quickly scooped up Marinette into his arms and started jumping out of the way, chairs and desks flying.

Marinette clung tightly to his neck, eyes focusing on Chat's staff, "If only we can get your staff, it'd be easier!"

"Yeah, no kitten," Chat grunted, expertly evading all the letters even with the extra burden of her in his arms.

A smile curled Marinette's lips when she noticed the 'D's Notiere kept conjuring up pushed chairs and desks away viciously and suddenly she had an idea, leaning up close to Chat Noir's ears to inform him of her plan.

He tried to concentrate on her words instead of the brief brushes of her warm lips against his ear and finally his mind focused when she backed away slightly to view his reaction.

He gave a slow grin, flipping back quickly to avoid another letter, "Quick thinking princess, let's do it," Marinette smiled and nodded, jumping out of Chat's arms as the hero jumped in the opposite direction to dodge another attack.

Notiere focused on Chat Noir instead of Marinette, which was just what Marinette wanted.

"Hey! Notiere!" the akumat turned to her and glared, breaking from his stare down with Chat Noir, "Were your marks so bad that you had to get akumatized for them? Were you too lazy to learn for your exams or didn't you just _want_ to?"

Chat's eyes widened, looking at Marinette and expelling a low whistle, "Look at her go," he grinned, feeling a twinge of pride and awe at her bravery at facing an akuma but a sudden hiss in his head from his kwami made him focus on the matter at hand.

Slowly, cautiously, Chat slipped between chairs and overturned desks, sticking to move behind Notiere's back, gaze locked on the large white pencil in his grip.

He moved to all fours, knees bent and hands taut in front of him, bending his back to prepare for a full-frontal launch.

He just needed to wait for the signal.

Marinette subtly looked at him and Chat Noir nodded, signaling he was ready.

Her eyes quickly snapped back to Notiere's, "Student of justice or not, you have no right to endanger the other students and teachers!" in the moment where her voice brimmed with conviction and a fierce sense of duty and protectiveness Adrien had had the privilege of seeing a few times when she stood up to Chloe, an image of his lady in red appeared in Marinette's place and Chat quickly shook his head.

 _Focus._

Eyes locked on Marinette, Chat waited, "Tch, what would you know of failing the year? Getting scolded by your parents and getting grounded for a bad mark?!" Notiere seemed to grow more furious, advancing slowly toward Marinette, pencil glowing at its tip, "Of course, excellent students wouldn't understand the struggles of us _average_ ones," he hissed angrily.

Marinette's face softened in sympathy, "Notiere, everyone in their life got a bad mark in school, even the top students who excelled later at most subjects get one every once in a while. But…it's not the end of the world," Notiere's eyes widened, "Many students fail, a semester or the whole year, but that doesn't make them stupid or any less worthy than the ones who didn't. Getting bad marks can be frustrating and making you feel like you're not as smart or gifted as everyone else, but that's why you have friends who can help you and build study groups with," she smiled encouragingly, "That's why if you just-"

Notiere's whole body shook, shook in suppressed _rage_ Chat Noir realized, " _Princess!_ "

The glow on Notiere's pencil intensified, the glow morphing from pale yellow into a dark red and Chat Noir scrambled to his feet, " _Marinette! No!"_ just when he tackled Notiere to the ground, the letter was already fired, heading straight for Marinette.

Worry over her reckless kitty had Marinette frozen on the spot and when her limbs finally moved to grab Chat's baton and attempt to lift it for protection, the menacing, brightly glowing letter was just inches from her body.

She closed her eyes tightly shut, body bracing for the impact without the protection of the suit, when she suddenly-

Nothing.

 _"_ _Nothing? Did I…what happened?"_ Slowly, Marinette uncrossed her arms and opened her eyes only to stare at a white back with black stripes.

"Are you hurt, Marinette?" the voice was too familiar. The costume was too familiar.

 _It couldn't be._

"N-Nath?!" but when the artist, the Evillustrator version of him, looked back at her, his eyes were the same kind turquoise ones she knew from her classmate and friend.

"Hey, guess I got here just in time," he smiled, the letter vanished into thin air and Marinette suddenly remembered what Nathaniel could do in this form.

He could draw things and bring them to life! He could also _erase_ them.

"Nath! Quick, erase the letter from around Chat Noir's baton," the former villain looked slightly dumbfounded, before he noticed the staff on the ground, the glowing letter 'D' firmly attached at its end. Quickly, he drew on his notepad and the letter was gone.

Chat Noir's arms were still locked around Notiere like a vice and he quickly shook himself from his stupor and jumped toward his staff, the familiar solid feel of it in his hands a reassuring weight as he moved Marinette gently aside, away from Nathaniel.

Great, two akumas, this couldn't get any better.

"How did you get akumatized?" Chat's eyes narrowed, mistrust seeping into his tone. Usually, he wouldn't have anything against a little help, but Evillustrator, while not exactly harmful to Paris, _had_ kidnapped Marinette on a boat ride with him and nearly drowned them both.

Marinette gripped her kitty's shoulders, "Chat Noir, wait," she felt him stiffen, but his eyes locked onto hers, "I don't think Nathaniel means any harm, he protected me;"

Evillustrator – _Nathaniel_ \- appeared to be harmless, but Chat Noir wasn't a fool, looks could be deceiving.

Evillustrator straightened, pencil and notepad falling to his sides meant to calm the tense hero, "I'm sorry about what happened back then, but please believe me I'm not here as your enemy." His gaze moved to Marinette, "Alya was looking for you and she got scared when you didn't come out of the school so…I guess I got so worried that I suddenly turned into SuperNathan," he shrugged, scratching the back of his neck.

 _SuperNathan?_

Chat's claws clicked against the metal of his baton, did he just give himself a superhero name?

Before either of the male heroes could speak, Marinette moved from behind Chat Noir and settled a hand on Nathaniel's shoulder, "Thank you for the help Nathaniel, I would've been a goner if you hadn't come," she smiled, smiled so kindly and warmly and _brightly_ that it made Chat's insides twist and knot uncomfortably.

 _What sort of a name was SuperNathan anyway?!_

But Nathaniel, true to his shy persona, shyly averted her gaze, "Uh, no problem." He offered her a smile in return, one that looked so affectionate it made Chat Noir want to empty his stomach.

Before he could, Notiere made his presence known, obviously irked at being ignored, "Give me your Miraculous Chat Noir!" Ah, so _there_ was Hawkmoth.

Both Chat Noir and Nathaniel moved into defensive stances and both looked at each-other, Marinette could practically cut the tension in the air with a knife, "Mari, you better go outside to where Alya and Nino are, we can handle it from here," Nathaniel's eyes were trained on her briefly.

Chat's claws flexed, _Mari_? Since when were either of them so familiar with each-other?

Why didn't _he_ call her Mari? Granted, he called her princess and a bunch of other things, as _Chat_ , but he had no real nickname for her as Adrien.

But why didn't _she_ call him something other than just Adrien? He blinked…what would be a good nickname for Adrien? His name was already so short, it would be difficult. Well, _kitty_ still suited him best. He grimaced.

He would _not_ be ignored, "Right princess, you go to safety while you let your knight take care of the villain!" he flashed her a bright grin, aware that Nathaniel's eyes were on them, he delicately took Marinette's hand into his and kissed her knuckles gently, lips lingering on the warm soft skin of her palm as his eyes lightened up in mirth and glee when he saw her stare at him, caught off guard, a light hue of pink tinting her cheeks.

The look suited her.

Confidence oozing from his whole body, Chat lunged at the stunned Notiere, who had watched the scene with more confusion than a genuine interest and stumbled back from the force of the cat's strength and weight.

It took Nathaniel a while to snap out of what he just saw and when he did, Marinette was gone and he shook his head, ignoring the tightening of his heart and instead, drawing on his notepad to help Chat Noir.

It wasn't long before Ladybug arrived on the scene, looking a bit flushed and slightly nervous whenever she looked at her partner, but battle ready nonetheless.

Ladybug helped Notiere, whose real name was Maurice, stand, "Getting bad marks is not the end of the world Maurice, there will always be times when you're not at your best and you should accept that. Besides, I'm sure your parents will understand once you sit down and talk with them, parents only want what's the best for their children after all," she smiled encouragingly, and Chat frowned, looking away.

Maurice smiled, "Thank you so much, Chat Noir and Ladybug, and you too," he nodded at Nathaniel, who only smiled, "I…guess I went overboard," he chuckled.

Chat Noir smiled, "If you're interested, I know a guy from Ms. Bustier's class who has a knack for physics and chemistry, I'm sure he's willing to help you out," he grinned, not noticing the way Ladybug looked at him, a mixture of confusion and silent suspicion.

Again, Maurice thanked all three of them and slowly walked out of the classroom, his friends shouting for him in the distance and tackling him in a hug. Ladybug smiled and finally relaxed.

With the akuma purified, the three masked figures stared at each-other, "Thank you for your help Evillustrator," she smiled, placing a hand on his shoulder.

Nathaniel smiled, nodding, "It's alright, I had to help out a really good friend of mine,"

Chat twitched. _Really good friend, huh?_

Ladybug laughed, "Really? I didn't know my kitty replaced me with a partner already," she glanced at Chat and winked.

Nathaniel looked slightly embarrassed, "Oh no, no, I uh, I actually meant Marinette," he smiled.

Chat twitched.

"If you'll excuse me, I have to go and check if she's alright," with that Nathaniel excused himself and rushed out of the classroom.

And suddenly, Ladybug looked about ready to bolt, "Uh, well chaton, I'll see you around!" with speed usually he was known for, Ladybug quickly jumped out of the window and swung away with her yoyo.

Left alone in the now tidied classroom, Chat Noir glanced at his ring, he still had a few minutes left before the first warning beep sounded.

He _had_ to check on Marinette.

Gritting his teeth at the thought of Nathaniel already all over her, he picked up the pace, rushing out of the classroom and slamming the doors to outside open, only to nearly stumble into none other than Nino and Alya, "Woah dude you okay?"

Straightening up, Chat looked around, "Uh, yeah, sorry I'm looking for Marinette," he looked around again, "Did you see her anywhere?"

Alya looked the definition of a worried mother, "I thought she was with Nathaniel! He came out of school a few minutes ago and went to look for her,"

Nino placed a comforting around her, "Don't worry, I'm sure she's fine,"

Chat Noir nodded, "I'll bring your princess ba-" his expression darkened, eyes narrowed into slits, "You have cat to be _kitten_ me…"

Alya and Nino turned around, only to see Nathaniel, in his costume still, hugging a surprised Marinette and Alya's keen eyes didn't miss the way she relaxed into the hug and hugged him back, tightly.

Nathaniel: 1

Chat Noir: 0.

He'd have to rectify that somehow.

When Marinette opened her eyes again, she spotted the leather clad hero standing next to her friends, "Chat Noir!" Nathaniel was stunned when she gently broke their hug, jogging towards them and Adrien couldn't help but feel the slightest bit of satisfaction at the disappointed pout on Nathaniel's face.

Chat 1.

Nathaniel 1.

He couldn't help but smile when Marinette beamed at him, "Thanks for saving me kitty,"

He bowed, taking her hand in his again, "I have to thank you my lady, you were the one that rushed to my aid and helped a stray cat out of a catastrophic situation," he kissed her knuckles again, briefly, before straightening up.

She giggled nervously, trying to ignore the bewildered looks of her friends, "Anytime, chaton," his grin softened and he resisted the urge to pull her into a hug, instead he bowed deeply at the waist, sent her a wink and extended his baton.

"I'll be seeing you around, purrincess," he caught her good natured eye roll and it made him grin even wider, jumping through the streets and scaling buildings and rooftops, feeling full of energy despite Plagg being drained.

Chat Noir: 2.

Nathaniel: 1.

* * *

" _Girl_ , you have some explaining to do!" Alya crossed her arms and even Nino looked far too curious, " _Why_ was Chat Noir acting so familiar with you? Calling you his _lady_ and _princess_?" Marinette could feel her cheeks heating up in embarrassment, "And why in the world didn't you tell me you have _nicknames_ for each-other?!"

"I-I c-c-can explain A-Alya!" she sweated buckets, wondering how she could distract her friend from interviewing her further. She looked at Nino for help, but only smiled apologetically at her, obviously eager to hear her side of the story.

Thankfully, the help came in the form of Nathaniel, now back to normal.

"Wait, how did you change back?" Marinette blinked in surprise and Alya's attention was momentarily shifted.

Nathaniel smiled shyly, scratching the back of his neck, "I don't really know…I don't even know how I changed into SuperNathan again," he shrugged, "Are you…I mean are you s-sure you're o-okay, Marinette?" the blush hit him full force in the face and Nino slapped his hand against his face.

"Yes, thanks Nathaniel," he smiled shyly, red bangs partly covering his face when she smiled at him.

"Dude, where were you? You missed all the fun again!" Nino suddenly called out and they saw Adrien jogging toward them.

Marinette's mind nearly stopped working when he stopped right next to her.

 _So very close._

Adrien's gaze immediately moved to Marinette, "Are you alright? I heard you got attacked by the akuma," Nino and Alya's eyebrows shot up to their hairlines.

"What? How did you know that? You weren't even here when Nathaniel changed into his superhero form!" Alya rested her hands on her hips, her investigate side resurfacing as she eyed the model suspiciously.

Adrien nervously adjusted the collar of his shirt, "Uh, yeah well, I met Chat Noir on my way back here and he told me what happened quickly, since uh, he knew I was friends with Marinette and all," he smiled sheepishly, "I'm sorry I wasn't here I was…hiding!" he feigned an embarrassed smile.

Nino frowned, "Aw man, Adrien why do you always have to miss out on these things? You're never around when there's an akuma attack," he crossed his arms, sighing.

Alya rested her elbow on Nino's shoulder, sighing, "I could sing you a song about Marinette and her absences when these things happen. I don't even know how she got tangled up in this one and failed to see Ladybug, _again_ ," Alya fixed her friend with a glare and Marinette giggled nervously.

Both individuals shrugged, before Adrien spoke quietly, "Well, I'm glad you're not hurt, Marinette,"

Marinette felt her soul leave her body and wave goodbye at her from afar as she just stared at the blond model, transfixed at his words and standing rooted to the spot. Alya rolled her eyes and quickly elbowed her friend, "Too thank me you!" her eyes widened, Adrien tilted his head curiously, "Uh-Uh, I-I-I thank me too you! No I-"

Alya rolled her eyes with a fond smile, "What she means is 'Thank you, me too'," she winked at the blue haired girl, giggling.

Adrien grinned and bowed his head slightly, "No purroblem my-"

 _Crap._

" _Adrien, your Chat is showing again,"_ Plagg whispered into his shirt, low enough so the others couldn't hear and Adrien rapidly straightened and rubbed at the back of his neck at the quizzical looks he got.

"Dude…I didn't know you were a Chat Noir fan too! And I thought you were a die-hard Ladybug fan!" Nino clasped him on the back, smiling. Nathaniel smiled, chuckling quietly.

"Uh….yeah! Yeah, I'm a Chat Noir fan," he chuckled, "I mean he's pretty cool, right? Fighting crimes with Ladybug and his puns aren't too bad either," he laughed, feeling small claws prickle his chest slightly at his own joke.

He would need to get Plagg a ton of cheese today.

Marinette smiled fondly, shaking her head, "Yeah, I guess they aren't so bad,"

Adrien was pretty sure his face had been frozen in a goofy smile for a full minute.

* * *

A light knock sounded on the hatch and Marinette smiled when she hopped out of her bed, rolling up the sleeves of her pajama shirt before opening the hatch to let Chat Noir inside.

"Good evening princess, I'm not disturbing, am I? I thought to drop by and check on you after that akuma attack today," Chat Noir was hiding something behind his back and Marinette couldn't help but smile warmly, shaking her head.

"I'm fine kitty, don't worry. But you were fighting alone for most of the fight, I'm more worried about you," he looked fine, physically at least, he had to be since he came to her from wherever he lived.

He brushed her concerns off with a wink, "Nothing can take this cat down so easily, I'm feline purrfect, purrincess!" he grinned widely, and she rolled her eyes and giggled, humoring him since he had so much trouble today to protect her.

Then he produced a small colorful box from behind his back and her eyes locked onto it curiously, "For you," he bowed down to one knee and lifted the box up to her, head bowed down.

"Kitty, you really didn't have to," nevertheless she smiled, feeling appreciation bloom in her chest for the reckless cat.

She would have sighed at his dramatic actions or at least piqued a comment, but she couldn't bring herself to today, not right now. Instead, she gingerly took the little box and slowly opened the lid, raising an eyebrow at what she found inside.

It was a small black paw shaped brooch of some sort, made from metal, completely black in color save for the green paw prints on it, identical to the design of Chat's ring, the paw print looked like a button, "What is this?" she twisted and turned it, intrigued.

Chat Noir rose to his full height and smiled proudly, "It's a device with which you can call me for help, I call it the Cat Caller," he winked, at her unimpressed look, he pressed, "Feline Hotline? Emergency Purr?" he slumped his shoulders when none of the names seemed to impress her.

After a moment of silence, Marinette's voice sounded gentle to his ears, "How about…Kitty Talkie?"

Green eyes lighted up in excitement and he barely suppressed the urge to sweep her off her feet and hug her and spin her and- "Sounds good, _purrincess_ ,"

His shit eating grin made her giggle and she clutched the small brooch close to her, "Thanks Chat Noir, I really appreciate it," she fidgeted briefly, "And I'm sorry that I was a burden today, I wanted to help you and-"

But her kitty had other ideas, he took a large step and looked down at her, she could smell his cologne, _since when did cats wear cologne_ , and noticed the warm quality his eyes took on, "You could never be a burden, Marinette," there, he called her Marinette again.

She tried not to show it affected her at all, nope, not at all.

"T-thanks chaton," she cursed inwardly for her stuttering but smiled up at him brightly.

She counted her lucky stars when she remembered the cookie and croissant plate on her desk, quickly slipping around Chat's form, she dashed for her desk and lifted the still warm plate up to his face, "It's the least I can do," she smiled, hoping her cheeks weren't as pink as she thought.

He smiled and right there, munching on the cookies her parents made, he truly did look like a cat, a very big, not so childish-looking cat clad in skin tight leather but a cat nonetheless. Sitting down on her bed next to him, she reached up and scratched behind his ears, hearing a low purr rumble in his chest.

She giggled and Chat was glad her room wasn't so bright to show off the pink color of his cheeks as he tried distracting himself with mouthwateringly good cookies and croissants on his lap.

Once he finished getting his fill, forcing Marinette to eat with him since he didn't want to eat alone, he prepared to go home.

In all honesty, he didn't want to leave, but it was getting late and Nathalie was sure to check on him sometime for supper.

"Well, it's time to take the trash out, right princess?" he grinned, referencing one of their playful banters where she told she would need to take the 'trash' out when it had been time for him to leave.

He didn't expect her reaction though.

She gripped his bell and he hastily adjusted his feet to support his forward tilting weight to not crash into her face, her bluebell eyes fierce, "You're not trash Chat Noir! Anyone saying that is blind to see the truth!" vaguely, he wanted to ask her what 'truth' she meant, but she continued talking, in a softer tone, "You're brave and kind, funny and a dork, fearless and protective, determined and loyal and everything Ladybug could possibly look for in a partner willing to fight by her side." he fell silent, searching her expression and finding nothing but the truth there.

"I'm sorry I said that, it was meant as a joke but I understand if you-" he cut her off but it all felt like slow motion to him.

First, he felt his throat becoming clogged up from emotion, then he gently took her hands from his cheeks, which had strayed from his bell to make him look directly at her, not that he would have looked anywhere else anyway.

And then he pulled her into a tight hug, just barely stopping himself from listening to the tiny voice in the back of his head, which told him to just finally do what he had been dreaming to for weeks.

Shaking his head gently, he buried his nose against her hair, one clawed hand gently cradling her head while the other wound tightly around her waist, pulling her close for a hug so affectionate and _intimate_ he had a feeling he was breaching a line.

But she didn't push him away, she let him hold her and what was even better, she hugged him back and taking her returned hug as encouragement, he swallowed the lump in his throat and dared to say what he couldn't before, "I was worried, you were reckless charging into a room with an akuma rampaging in it,"

Marinette quirked an eyebrow and she smiled, sighing, "Silly kitty, if Ladybug gets caught up you can count on me for help, I'm sturdier than I look," he remembered her not even limping after Notiere had flung her at him so harshly.

"Hm…that you are princess,"

She giggled, "See? I'll be fine," in a rare moment of openness, Marinette nuzzled him back, "Besides, if I'm ever in a pinch I know I can always count on my _knight in leather armor_ to come and save me,"

Chat chuckled, reluctantly breaking free from the warmth and comfort that was Marinette, his eyes twinkling in amusement, "Oh, you don't need saving princess,"

 _It's me whom you saved._

Shaking his head, Chat grabbed his baton strapped to his lower back, opening the hatch, "I wish you a mewautiful evening, my-" he froze when he felt soft, warm lips press gently against his cheek and his stunned expression made her giggle.

Her gaze was fond as she looked at him, "Good night to you too Chat Noir," her smile was warmth and home and felt compelled to stay, "Be safe on your way home kitty,"

Snapping out of his trance like state, he blushed and quickly turned his head so she didn't see, offering a wave and a husky, "Good night, Mari," before leaping into the night.

 **Bonus Scene:**

 _"_ _PLAGG!"_ the kwami groaned, not again, " _THE INTERNET DIDN'T WARN ME ABOUT THIS! THE COMICS EITHER!"_ his chosen was currently pacing through his room, face bright red, " _WHAT SHOULD I DO?!"_

Calmly, lazily, Plagg regarded him, "Humans and their crushes, what's so bad about having cheese? It will never let you down," he swallowed the piece as large as his head in a single bite.

"I don't get why you're freaking out over this, pigtails girl is cute and she looks like she likes ya," he yawned, rolling over on his stomach.

Adrien released a unmanly squeak and dived for Plagg, whose green eyes grew wide at Adrien's panicked eyes, "THAT'S IT PLAGG! SHE LIKES CHAT NOIR NOT ME!"

Releasing his kwami, Adrien dramatically flopped down on his bed, releasing a deep, deep sigh.

Plagg's eyes twitched, "You. Are. Hopeless."

Adrien twitched.

Anyone interested in a **"The Nutcracker and the Mouse King"** one/two shot AU of Marichat? ^^


	12. Her Remorse

**ANSWERS TO REVIEWS:**

 **Mermain123:** Thank you so much for answering my question! :) It should take me about a week or longer (because of RL :/)

 **Luv2read4reading:** Thank you a lot for answering my question! :) I'll try to write it up quick! :)

 **Prompt:** Marinette decides to use the Lucky Charm outside of an akuma battle to see what item would materialize to help her outside of danger. What she got wasn't what she was expecting at all… **Not sure if there's already fanart similar to this, a friend of mine mentioned it.**

 **Rating: T (sad shot…mentions of death)**

* * *

 **Her** **Remorse**

Tikki flew around her chosen nervously, "Are you sure Marinette? You don't know what may happen…" in truth the kwami had a pretty good idea of what might happen, but she couldn't bring herself to say anything.

Marinette gave her a reassuring smile, but it didn't reach her eyes and it looked…tight, "Don't worry Tikki, I'm sure everything will be alright,"

She stopped after a few more steps and took a deep breath.

"Tikki, spots on!"

Now, Ladybug stood in Marinette's place and she gripped her yoyo tightly, biting her bottom lip.

With a broken whisper, she calls upon her power, " _Lucky Charm!"_

Her yoyo shoots into the air and bathes everything in bright, sparkling light before something red appeared within its center and Marinette stepped back, eyes intently following how her magic shaped into a figure.

A figure of a human.

She had never gotten a human as aid, only ever inanimate objects and she felt the familiar buzzes within her mind, coming from Tikki's worry spiking.

And now she knew why.

Chat Noir materialized, all red dotted with black spots, she wasn't sure if he was a living human being or…

"…Chat?" he landed on his feet in front of her but didn't respond, empty, red eyes dotted with miniature black spots gazed at her emptily.

"Kitty?" The figure cocked his head to the side, he couldn't speak.

This wasn't her Chat.

She knew it wasn't.

And yet, she didn't see his figure, _him_ in such a long time.

Without thinking, she lunged forward and enveloped the Chat lookalike in a tight hug, sobbing hard into his shoulder.

The suit was the same, leather, but red and black instead of pure black. His hair felt real too, but she couldn't feel a heartbeat, she couldn't feel the rise and fall of his chest, nothing, he wasn't real.

For a while, nothing happened as she shut her eyes tightly closed, having long since stopped trying to keep in her tears. She tried to imagine this was real, that this was indeed her kitty standing before her, but her heart knew otherwise, and more tears kept coming.

Until she felt familiar arms around her and when she opened her eyes again, her vision wasn't dotted with a red and black spotted suit but a pure black one.

"Don't cry, princess," the side of his head nuzzled against her own and she sighed, hand coming up to entangle in his messy hair.

"Oh cherie… _minou_ …" she sobbed brokenly, clutching him like a lifeline. Her tight hug was returned, and she couldn't care less that his strong arms were like a vice around her, she never wanted to let him go, she never wanted _him_ to let go.

 _Not again._

She hadn't noticed how much time had passed, she hadn't noticed until the figure of her partner suddenly vanished, and her transformation wore off, and she fell to her knees.

Tikki was at her side in an instant, trying to comfort her chosen until Plagg took her into his arms and shook his head silently. Tikki hugged her partner tightly, heart breaking at seeing her charge like this.

It wasn't like Lucky Charm could hold forever, it wasn't like it could bring back what she really wanted, _needed._

Marinette clutched at the ring on her finger, _his_ ring, and tearfully caressed it, a small smile on her lips, "Minou…"

"Amour…" she sobbed and the skies cried with her, rain pouring over her kneeling form but she couldn't bring herself to care, to move, to even feel the raindrops beating upon her back, she was numb.

She just kneeled before the statue dedicated to him, a memorial, the description of protector of Paris, partner to Ladybug, beloved friend and loving hero engraved in gold at the bottom of the statue.

And then the death date.

Exactly a year ago today.

 _We are a team, Chat Noir._

Just need a little bit more time to write up the prompts I've gotten from you guys :) **Thank you so much for reading! Reviews always really make my day!**


	13. Green is my color

**A/N: I think I'm on a roll! XD Thank you all kindly for reading, reviewing, favoriting and following! :D**

 **Prompt:** (from me this time) Chat Noir decides to get his nails painted and forgets to remove it.

 **Rating: T**

* * *

 **Green is my color**

Sighing contently, Marinette patted the spot next to her on the bed, "Come up here kitty, I can't polish your nails with you at the other side of the room,"

Heat filled the superhero's cheeks and Adrien was pretty sure Plagg would kill him for what he agreed to do. He wasn't even sure how Marinette persuaded him, all he remembered was the sweet scent of baked goods and the gentle, addicting scratches and strokes of Marinette's fingers in his hair and on his ears and face and he was dead to the world.

Reluctantly, he dragged himself toward her and she giggled, "You bet you lose Chat Noir,"

He pouted, laying himself on his back and resting his head on her lap, eyes warily following her gaze when she tried to decide upon a color, "I didn't bet princess, I got tricked," Marinette stuck her tongue out at him and Chat grinned, doing the same back to her, "Don't blame me if the cat got your tongue at this rate,"

"Oh shush, I'm trying to concentrate," her brow furrowed, cheeks slightly pink. Maybe it was a trick of the dim light in her room, but he swore her cheeks were a dark pink.

He grinned, all white teeth, "Am I making you flustered, mon Cherie?" the grin quickly fell from his face when she reached for the pink nail polish, "I'll have to stop you there princess, pink is definitely not my color,"

She rose an eyebrow, amused, "Already tried it out kitty?" she put the pink away and looked critically at the other ones.

He crossed his arms, "Pink clawshes so badly with my hair," he flicked his bangs, earning a giggle from the girl whose lap he was using like a pillow. A very warm, soft, nice smelling pillow-

He shook his head.

 _Get your mind out of the gutter!_

He grinned sheepishly when she shot him an odd look, "What?"

He coughed into his hand, "Nothing," shifting his body, he tried to think of physics formulas and boring fashion events to clear his mind until Marinette wiggled a bottle of nail polish in front of him.

He smirked, "How did you know?"

She mimicked his expression, "I thought it would bring out your eyes more," she winked and he chuckled, obediently lifting his hand.

"Well, green _is_ my color," he purred when her hand suddenly rubbed his scalp, gentle motions momentarily distracting him of her actions.

Taking off his glove, she smiled when his eyes widened at the texture of her warm hands against his bare ones, "Hey, that was dirty," he shot her a look.

She looked at him pointedly, "Purring in my _ear_ and _nuzzling_ my neck during Mecha Strike 3 is playing dirty, chaton," he made a face and she grinned widely, giggling.

His expression softened and he sighed, contently nestling his head against her lap, "You're good," observing how she carefully painted his nails with the barest minimum touching the skin around it.

She shrugged, "Alya and I often paint our nails during sleepovers, mostly because she wants to but it's hard playing while you wait for them to dry," she smiled cheekily, "Alya nearly killed me for it,"

Chat chuckled, eyes trailing over her relaxed features, "What did you do on those sleepovers?" his ears perked up in interest.

She thought for a moment, "Oh you know, what girls usually do. We played some games, ate everything we could get our hands on in the kitchen, talked about school and boys and made fun of Chloe," she laughed, "And I had to listen to her rambling all about the Ladyblog and Ladybug," she rolled her eyes fondly.

Chat smirked, "Boys, huh? Have I by chance been mentioned? As Paris' most eligible bachelor?" he wiggled his eyebrows suggestively and Marinette scrunched up her nose.

"No,"

"That was quick…"

She laughed, shaking her head, "I didn't know you won the prize of most eligible bachelor, kitty."

He shrugged, "It's a public secret,"

She snorted, continuing to carefully paint his nails, "Are you going to manicure? Your nails are nice," she lifted his hand closer to her face, marveling at the perfectly trimmed nails.

Chat felt himself sweat through his suit, desperately trying to think of something when- _aha!_ "Well, princess, we cats are very meticulous about our appearance, we groom ourselves every opportunity we get," he winked, relief flooding his veins at the lie.

Sure, even if he wouldn't be a model, he would still take care of his appearance but still. She smiled, nodding, "Of course,"

He found it cute when she stuck her tongue out amidst her concentration, "Well?"

"Well, what?" her eyes briefly glanced at him.

Chat grinned, "Will the princess answers her knight's desperate question?" he held his other gloved hand over his heart.

There was a sigh, an eye roll and then, "Once or twice," she noticed his shit-eating grin, "Nothing big though, it was mostly Alya,"

" _Mostly?_ "

"All of it," now _that_ answer had been far too quick for his liking.

"Do tell princess, I'm pawsitively curious," he looked like a kid on Christmas and Marinette felt slightly bad, after all he had a hard time fighting an akuma today which seemed particularly fond of cats, constantly going after Chat Noir and trying to shove him in her oversized bag to add to her collection of cats. The poor boy had to literally beat her off with a stick – or baton.

Rolling her eyes, Marinette decided to indulge him a little, but careful to not reveal too much, "It was nothing really. Alya mentioned you once or twice, she asked me some things and that's about it," she couldn't tell him Alya's been grilling her for answers ever since Nino made that picture of them on her balcony, she would sooner be caught epically failing an akuma fight than admit any of that, "See? Nothing big,"

Green eyes narrowed in suspicion and Chat clicked his tongue softly, "My lady, I do believe you're withholding information from your knight in shining armor," he smiled, "So, what were those things she asked you about me?" he was very curious to know now.

Maybe he would finally found out what Marinette really thought of him in costume.

Suddenly, she grew nervous, his pinky finger suffering the consequences when the green nail polish smudged his whole pinky in green and Marinette hastily wiped it clean with a nail polish remover, "S-sorry!" his ears dropped, signaling for her to continue and forget about it.

Again, she fidgeted but this time, she didn't seem so nervous, "Ah…nothing r-really. Just when was the first time I met you and all. And why you visit me sometimes and what I think about you and such," she shrugged.

Chat's eyes widened and he felt his heart start to hammer in his chest. What she thought about him? Why he visited her?

He _had_ to know!

He cleared his throat, " And…what did you say?" he peeked up at her curiously.

A fond smile stretched her lips and Chat relaxed when her free hand traced soothing circles and other patterns on his head, "I told her the first time we met was during an akuma fight and you saved me. She was really worried when I explained what happened and she said she never noticed you seemed to talk to the akuma victims while Ladybug dealt with the media." His expression was the epitome of surprise when Marinette giggled, "I told her I stuck to the crowd after you brought me to safety and I saw you helping the distraught victims while Ladybug took care of interviews. It…it really bugs me why more people don't appreciate and honor you Chat Noir. Ladybug isn't the only one saving Paris after all," her fingers gently tightened in his hair but not to hurt.

Gently, he gripped her hand and brought it to his front, his lips touching the back of her hand as he watched her face take on interesting colors, "But she's the only one that can purify the akumas." He grew thoughtful, "Thank you…Marinette. You…thank you for saying that," he purred, nuzzling his face against her stomach and he felt her tense.

Eyes wide, he tried to retreat and apologize for his _mindless_ actions before her hand settled on his head and began their calming ministrations a new, his purring getting a bit louder, "Of course, chaton. Anytime," she smiled.

His green eyes slowly opened and looked up at her as she removed his other glove and did his nails on the other hand, "…What about the rest?"

She smiled, "Didn't that answer your question already?" she giggled, shaking her head, "I think you deserve the same attention and the same praise as Ladybug. You protect her whenever she's in trouble and you always put yourself in danger for the citizens and her, but at the end of the day, she gets bombarded by pesky questions. Ladybug is great, but she's nothing without Chat Noir,"

His heart melted into a puddle of goo and he feared he would start melting on her lap if her fingers didn't stop what they were doing and if she didn't stop praising him in such high tones, "P-princess, you're making me melt," he released a breathy chuckle, eyes glowing with affection.

She giggled, "Well, you deserve it kitty. Every word of it," she offered him a warm smile and it reminded him of his lady, whenever she would bestow him such beautiful smiles.

"….And about the visits?" he grinned.

Marinette smirked, "I told her I feed you so you didn't meow at the moon all the time," she laughed when he gently pinched her leg as punishment, "Ok, what I really told her was…you were just worried I would get targeted by another akuma and that's that,"

" _I probably shouldn't tell him what else she asked me…"_ fighting down a shiver, Marinette concentrated back on painting his nails, " _'Ever seen him without the suit?', 'So, you and Chat Noir huh? Did model boy get competition?', 'Chat Noir was visiting you and you haven't told me a thing?! Girl, just what exactly has that cat been doing to that brain of yours that you forgot to tell me?' 'Since he prances about in skin tight leather all day, tell me, from up close…is the suit hiding too much or not enough?"_

Needless to say Ladybug had had trouble looking her partner in the eye, or looking at him at all, for at least a week, courtesy of Alya's… _daring_ questions.

Marinette cleared her throat, feeling uncomfortably hot, "There, all done!" she smiled when he critically inspected his now green nails.

"Wow princess! It looks great!" he grinned and shot her a look, "Green is my color, don't you think my lady?"

She rolled her eyes playfully, but a fond smile stubbornly stuck to her lips, "It sure is kitty,"

His grin widened and purrs reached her eyes again when she continued to pet him well into the night.

* * *

"Dude, are you wearing nail polish?" Nino's eyes were fixated on his friend's fingernails, the vibrant green an eyesore against the modest colors Adrien usually wore.

Adrien scratched the back of his neck, releasing an embarrassed chuckle, "Uh…yeah…must have forgotten to remove it yesterday. You know…the photoshoot and all," he chuckled nervously.

Nino rose an eyebrow suspiciously

"Just what sort of photoshoot requires to wear nail polish?" Alya had leaned close to Marinette and whispered in her ear as the boys talked, feeling her friend freeze on the spot.

 _Marinette . exe stopped working._

Alya excused herself to go to the bathroom and Marinette sat rigid on her stool, Tikki's head poking out of her bag in concern.

A million thoughts ran through her mind and none of them were good, " _Wait…last night I painted Chat's nails…Adrien's wearing green nail polish today…"_

She gasped, "What if Adrien and Chat Noir met up and Chat gave him tips?!" she whisper-shouted to her kwami.

Tikki facepalmed and sighed heavily, flopping back into Marinette's bag.

 **Thanks for reading! :)**


	14. Comfort

**Prompt: (from me) When Chloe upsets Marinette, Adrien tries to comfort her only to worsen the situation. When Marinette doesn't open up to Adrien, maybe Chat Noir can comfort her…**

* * *

 **Comfort**

"Watch where you're going, _Marinette_!" the name was practically spat out like poison, the sound might as well have come from a snake and Marinette would still fail to spot the difference.

Currently scrambling to get up and gather her things, her face was on fire when Adrien shook his head and gathered his own things from the ground, "A-A-Adrien, I-I-I'm so sorry!" she quickly tried to help him gather his books, all the while muttering rapid apologies.

The teen model smiled, offering an easygoing smile, "Hey, it's alright Marinette, nothing happened." He thanked the girl when she handed him his books briskly and stood up, eyes roving over her figure, "Are you alright? I ran into you, I'm the one that's supposed to say sorry," he scratched at the back of his neck in embarrassment.

Marinette opened her mouth to say something, but Chloe beat her to it, clinging onto Adrien's arm, "You don't have to apologize to _her_ Adrikins! She's the one that's always so clumsy and can't do _anything_ right!" she glared at the dark-haired girl, "Why can't you be more like Ladybug? At least then you'd be _useful_ ," she stuck her tongue out at her classmate and fussed over Adrien, asking if he got hurt or if his clothes were ruined.

Marinette stood rooted to the spot silently, for once she felt like she couldn't argue against Chloe.

She was right.

She was always so clumsy and careless, she always messed something up, she always tripped or stumbled over her own words like an idiot.

Clenching her hands into fists, Marinette's lips pursed tightly as she tried containing her emotions, making a beeline for the door when the bell rang signaling that class was over.

* * *

"Mari!" Alya ran for the door, trying to catch her friend but the girl was no longer there as if she vanished into thin air.

Nino quickly threw his arms around his girlfriend when the reporter rounded on Chloe, who was still clinging to Adrien, " _You!_ " the blonde looked offended at the hostile tone, "How dare you talk to her that way!? It was an accident Chloe!" she growled, still fighting against her boyfriend's hold.

Chloe frowned, crossing her arms, "Yeah, well, she's clumsy and annoying. It was about time someone told her that," she smirked, "Right, Adrikins?"

Adrien was silent, gold bangs covering his eyes as he stared at the ground and his hands were clenched into fists at his side, "Adrikins?"

He moved away when she tried to grab at his arm again, "Alya is right Chloe, you had no right to talk to Marinette that way." When he looked at her, his eyes were sad and angry at the same time, "It was an accident, I didn't look where I was going and I couldn't stop myself from bumping into her, it wasn't her fault," he sighed, guilt growing heavily within his chest.

Why didn't he say anything while Chloe was biting Marinette's head off?

Why had he been silent? He definitely didn't agree with Chloe, so why didn't he tell her off and defend Marinette?

He swallowed when he looked at Alya, who still looked angry but Nino wasn't holding her anymore, which meant the possibility of her lunging at Chloe was slim, "I thought you were a decent guy Agreste, but now I'm not so sure anymore," Alya looked disappointed, with her arms crossed and a disapproving, sad look on her face, "Mari doesn't need a knight in shining armor to protect her, she can protect herself, but I thought you would at least stand up for her," she shook her head and left the silent classroom and her stunned classmates behind.

Nino looked sadly at Adrien, clasping a hand on his shoulder, "Sorry dude, but she's right," with a final, apologetic look Nino followed after his girlfriend.

With a heavy heart, Adrien sighed and slung his bag over his shoulder, ignoring Chloe's shrilling voice to _not dare leave her standing there like this_ and instead, he ran outside towards home.

He needed to restock on camembert if he wanted to transform into Chat Noir tonight.

* * *

Night arrived agonizingly slow and it was only when he was sure Natalie, his father and the Gorilla were asleep that he quietly snuck out of the mansion, jumping from roof to roof over the quiet city that was Paris.

The cool Parisian night air felt good against his skin and it distracted him from the stifling heat in his suit, it soothed him a little for what he was about to do.

It was nearing midnight. and he wasn't even sure if Marinette was still up, after all it was a school night. He realized he would be tired in the morning, but he had to at least check up on her, even if it was through her window.

He finally jumped down to land soundless on her balcony and he was surprised to find her lights were still on, granted the light was very dim and low, as if she didn't want anyone to know she was still awake.

Carefully, he took tentative steps forward, briefly debating with himself if what he was about to do was the right thing.

One of Paris superheroes, a boy, was standing in the middle of the night in front of a girl's bedroom window, looking every bit like a _cat_ burglar with questionable intentions with his leather getup and green eyes which seemed to glow in the dark when one squinted hard enough.

Shaking his head, he softly scratched against the hatch, anxiously waiting a response from the other side. He shifted his weight, flexed his claws and tensed when he heard the telltale sign of a lock being undone as the small door slowly opened.

Marinette, dressed in her PJ's with her hair undone, greeted him and he took a moment to take in her unguarded expression, a face he never got to see as Adrien, "Chat Noir?" she blinked, clearly stunned to see him at this time of night, "What are you doing here, kitty? It's pretty late," and suddenly, she tensed and he could see the alarm on her face and in her eyes, "Is there an akuma attack-"

He quickly quenched her worries with an easy smile and a quick shake of his head, "Paris is safe. I just wanted to see if the princess was too," his voice was soft, softer than usual and he wondered if it was due to not wanting to wake her parents up or due to the emotion lacing his words.

He decided it didn't matter as she slowly stepped aside and opened the door wider, "Come in kitty, it's cold,"

He couldn't help the smile that split his face as he gracefully stepped into her bedroom, the warmth seeping into his body through the cold leather of his suit and giving him a feeling his own house didn't offer: a sense of home.

He turned to regard the girl standing behind him curiously, her hair was loose, untangled from the usual twin pigtails she wore, her eyes looked slightly puffy, as if she had cried sometime today and her eyes lacked the usual sparkle when she greeted him.

She looked exhausted and miserable.

And he wanted to kick himself. _Hard._

He spotted her chaise and plopped down onto it, crossing his legs and fisting his joined ankles anxiously as he stared at her, "So, how is my fair purrincess _feline_ this fine afternoon?" he grinned, hoping to cheer her up, at least to see the sparkle in her eyes again.

It didn't come.

She forced on a small smile and it was the worst thing he was subjected to seeing, "I'm fine kitty, how are you?" she eyed him briefly, "Are you sure there is nothing wrong? It's late and I don't think you would-"

He cut her off gently, his eyes conveying his every intention of his impromptu visit to her, "I came to see you,"

It took him a split second to realize how it may sound like to a slightly dazzled, emotionally drained Marinette, so he quickly rephrased his words, "I-I heard you had a stressful day so I wanted to make sure you wouldn't go to sleep feeling miserable,"

She crossed her arms, her look was curious and he was glad she hadn't felt offended or cornered, "I'm fine Chat, really." She rose an eyebrow, "And what would you know about falling asleep miserable?" she pouted, lips pursed but no real intention of hurting him.

He didn't take her words to heart.

 _Oh I could sing you a song about it, princess._

The guilty look on her face made her deflate and her shoulders slump in defeat, "I'm so sorry Chat Noir, I didn't-I didn't mean to hurt you! I-" she fumbled with her own words and Chat quickly tried to reassure her already fragile self.

He shook his head, standing up to gently grab her shoulders, "This cat has a thick coat, princess." He winked playfully, "I promise you, your words were not taken to heart. But if you don't mind this stray cat asking, what brought you in such a mood?" his concern was genuine, of course it was. She was Marinette, she was his very good friend, he almost dared say Chat's _best friend_ but not Adrien's.

After several minutes of staring at each-other Marinette finally caved in, her shoulders trembling slightly under Chat's warm hands, "A-at school…I…I was clumsy and…and Chloe just...she just…" she sighed heavily, hanging her head low, "…She only said the truth…" her voice was a murmur, so quiet Adrien almost didn't hear her.

Gently, he lifted her chin with his fingers so she was looking at him and his heart tightened at the hurt look in her bluebell eyes, "Princess, she was wrong." He quickly remembered he was standing before her as Chat Noir, not Adrien, "…Whatever it was she said, I refuse to believe it to be anywhere near the truth," he smiled at her, squeezing her shoulders.

She offered him a small smile, it seemed slightly more genuine, grateful, not like the forced one earlier. He mentally patted himself on the back, he was starting to cheer her up.

Marinette giggled then, her hand unconsciously scratched at the cat ears perched on top of his head, "Silly kitty…" she smiled fondly, "I bumped into Adrien when I wasn't paying attention and we both fell to the floor. I tried to apologize and help but Chloe…" she bit her lip, "She said I shouldn't be so clumsy anymore…and…" her voice grew very quiet at the end, "…that I should be more like Ladybug,"

Despite already knowing what had happened, his eyes had still widened in surprise. Not surprise at the information he already knew, but at how it deeply hurt Marinette, hearing Chloe telling her she should be more like the ladybug themed superhero of Paris.

Listening to the little voice at the back of his mind, which sounded suspiciously like a mix of Plagg's and his own, he pulled Marinette into a tight hug, one hand wrapped around her waist while the other threaded into her hair, claws gently rubbing the scalp.

She tensed, a gasp. He wasn't so sure what he was doing, it had been pure instincts that he suddenly hugged her, but he wasn't sure he would be regretting his choice.

Until she would decide to take out her squirt bottle or pepper spray or anything else that could do him any harm.

But instead, she relaxed in his embrace and he sensed her weight settle slightly against him as she wrapped her arms around his back.

He hugged her tighter, "You can never be like Ladybug," he whispered softly, rubbing soothing circles on her back.

She tensed.

He smiled, "Just like Ladybug can never be Marinette," he sensed the confusion he instilled in her by his cryptic words, "We all wished we are people we can't be, but that's also what makes us special, you know?" he gently stroked her hair as he spoke, relaxed by her scent around him, "Being you is unique, it's something you shouldn't be ashamed or embarrassed of." He chuckled and he felt her shiver, he thought it was from the cold of his suit, "Just like I can't be a famous supermodel or a really cool guy," he chuckled again.

He felt Marinette shift, clutching him tighter, one hand moving up so her fingers gently rubbed at the nape of his neck, "I think you're cool Chat," he felt her smile against his neck, "A very cool guy," she giggled, "And you don't need to be a supermodel to be a good person, I think being a good person is more _impurrtant_ and _clawfully_ you have that in spades,"

Chat slowly released her, still holding her by her shoulders as he looked into her eyes with teary ones of his own, "…You punned," he wiped at the corner of his eye, " _Twice_ ," he sniffed, "I can sacrifice all my nine lives for this,"

The bluenette rolled her eyes playfully before cupping his cheeks, "Isn't it a good thing all you have to do is being yourself to make me pun every once and _amewile_?" she winked, laughing at the stunned look on his face.

She brought his face down closer to hers, her cheeks pink and eyes sparkling as she rubbed their noses together affectionately, "Thank you kitty," she sighed and her warm breath hit his lips, only centimeters from her own and it left them tingling.

He swallowed, eyes shooting from her lips to her eyes, they sparkled again, "You know, I'm the one that's supposed to say thank you," he gently brought his hand behind her head, carefully pressing against it so now their foreheads were touching as he gazed at her eyes fondly, "You made a stray cat happy princess,"

 _You're amazing,_ he mentally added.

She smiled brightly and it almost blinded him, "And you made a damsel in distress happy, kitty," she scratched his chin and he released a low purr, causing another giggle to erupt from her throat as he forced himself to concentrate.

He gazed at her earnestly, "You could never be a damsel in distress, Marinette," the use of her real name took her a bit by surprise, but her expression relaxed, melting into one of adoration and gratefulness.

He smiled, gathering his courage to gently press his lips against the warm skin of her forehead, his lips moving against her as he whispered, "Just like you can't ever be useless," he closed his eyes, relishing in the peacefulness and the warmth of her body against his.

He was surprised when she hugged him this time, tightly, burying her face against his chest.

But he smiled and wrapped his arms around her again, resting his chin on top of her head.

He swore he must have imagined it, he blamed it on the late hour of the night and his own tiredness, but he swore he heard Marinette whisper against his chest, " _Je t'aime, chaton,"_

* * *

The next day at school, Adrien barely stayed still in his seat, eyes constantly traveling to the door and squirming and shifting in his seat.

Nino kept sending him odd looks from the side, "Dude, this is the sixth time you looked at the door. What's wrong?" there was a mask of confusion on his face before a grin replaced it, "I see, anxious to see Marinette?"

He felt his friend nudge him and he looked at him a little dazed, obviously having not heard his taunting, "Dude, what gives? You look star struck," he waved his hand in front of his face.

And then the door opened.

Marinette seemed in good spirits as she talked animatedly to Alya about something, her face split by a wide smile and her eyes shining like the sun itself.

He gathered his courage and stood up to intercept her with a hand on her shoulder, "Marinette,"

She looked up at him, "Oh!" she blushed slightly, "Good morning, A-Adrien,"

He smiled, "Good morning. Listen, about what happened yesterday, I just wanted to say how sorry I am that I didn't step up to Chloe when I should've and defended you, even if I know you can defend yourself." He scratched the back of his neck awkwardly, "I can't tell you how sorry I felt and I understand if you're mad at me-"

She cut him off with a bright, "Don't worry, it's alright. I'm not mad at you at all," she offered him a smile, "And I'm sorry again for being a klutz," she giggled.

He smiled, "Well, I was a klutz too yesterday," they both chuckled and he smiled at her when she walked to her seat when Ms. Bustier entered the classroom.

Somewhere in the middle of the lecture, he could hear the two girls behind him and Nino whispering about something and he could just make out what it was before Alya gasped in surprise.

 _"_ _I told you Alya, Chat's a really good friend…and he was there for me when I was feeling down. Honestly, he may be overdoing it with the puns, but he's the cutest stray I ever met._

Between coughing fits on Alya's part and Adrien's own blood pumping in his ears loudly, Marinette added in, _And I think he's a really cool guy._

Adrien's eyes widened and he couldn't stop the unmistakably Chat grin from nearly splitting his face in half.

 _She said he was a really cool guy._

 _She said he was a really good friend._

 _She called him the cutest stray_ _ **EVER.**_

 ** _She told him she liked him last night!_**

Now he really would sacrifice all his nine lives just to relive last night again, in each-others arms.

Thank you all for reading! And thank you for reviewing, favoriting and following! :) Was Chat/Adrien too OOC here?


	15. Lose

**A/N:** Hi everyone! I'm so sorry for not updating in a while, exams have been driving me up the walls and I have 4 this week, so I can't guarantee that updates will come faster :/ Anyway, today I've good news which some of you may know.

 *** *SPOLER* * * GLACIATOR A.K.A THE BALCONY SCENE IS HERE! * * *SPOILER* * ***

And yes, I have watched it and I'm _floored_! Definitely been waiting for a long time and while it wasn't quite what I was expecting, it did partly fulfill my own take on the balcony scene. I got inspired by the episode and I wanted to try and do multiple "balcony scenes" in the future with them in different situations :) Tell me what you think!

 **Rating: K+**

* * *

 **Lose**

Chat Noir gently pressed at the bleeding spot on the side of her stomach, biting his bottom lip hard when she hissed in pain and tensed, body lurching away from his touch at the contact of the burning antiseptic and the wound.

"I'm sorry-"

"It's fine kitty, I'm alright, stop saying that," Marinette smiled, but it looked forced and it broke his heart, "I can take a little pain," she took a breath when he gently dabbed at it, her stomach contracting as she fought to not release pained sounds.

His fingers shook and he started to apply the fresh bandage to the wound, his voice was low when he spoke to her, "I meant because of the akuma attack…" he paused in his bandaging, roll of gauze held in one hand midair and Marinette's eyes shot to his face to try and read his expression.

"…Chat Noir?" she rose an eyebrow, eyes slanting in concern as she placed a hand on his forearm.

It was shaking.

"I was supposed to take that hit princess," he chuckled and a shiver ran down her spine, the voice was his but it lacked any emotion, as if he didn't really want to laugh but did it anyway, maybe to ease his nerves or hers, she didn't know. "I have a durable suit, you're just a civilian, it could have been a lot worse than this and you know it,"

Marinette snorted, "I know that Chat but I…I just did it instinctively," she mumbled the last bit, looking away from him.

It was his turn to snort, "Instinctively?" damn his good hearing, "So, you instinctively leap into the way of danger when somebody attacks a person close to you?" he rose an eyebrow skeptically, hands methodically wrapping the bandage securely around her waist.

Marinette turned her head towards him, bluebell eyes a whirlwind of emotions, " _Of course_ , I do, I do that all the-"immediately, she closed her mouth, cursing herself for the slip up, "I m-mean, I _would_ do it even if I did it all the time," she cringed at her lame excuse, "You saved me too Chat Noir, I'm only returning the favor,"

His eyes hardened, "But _I_ don't have to go to the hospital after I get hit! I only feed my kwami! But _you_ need to go to the hospital, _your_ injuries are far worse than an empty stomach Marinette!" the way his voice rose stunned her.

Chat Noir had never been angry with her before.

Annoyed, occasionally. Exasperated, sometimes. But never angry.

Not with Ladybug or Marinette.

Looking at him now, she never saw this side of him before. Nose flared, green eyes appearing to be glowing in his anger, fists clenched at his side and a deep, disapproving frown on his lips. Her own lips curled into a frown, "But I'll heal too! I just need a little more time!"

With Tikki's help, Marinette was sure she could speed up her recovery by a few weeks, but Chat didn't know that of course.

She only couldn't let anyone at school notice she had an injury, or otherwise she would need to do a lot of explaining when she healed in a few weeks, where for a normal human it would take months. Thankfully, she didn't know Chat Noir in her civilian life. At least she didn't know any blond, green eyed pun loving boy who made flirty remarks every now and then.

Chat's glare deepened, and he threw his arms up in the air, "Just a little longer? You could get an infection! How will you go to school like this? You can't move too much or your wound will reopen!" he paced back and forth, belt tail flicking erratically as if it had a mind of its own, "How will you tell your parents about this? They'll surely notice. What if another akuma attack happens somewhere near your school and Ladybug or I don't get there in time?" he stopped his frantic pacing, suddenly falling on one knee at her feet and resting his hands on her knees, "Don't you understand princess? I won't always be there to make sure nothing happens to you, I _can't_ let anything happen to you!"

Marinette's eye twitched. On one side, she understood her partner completely.

He was scared, he was scared for her safety. He didn't know she was Ladybug, of course she would worry about Adrien too if this had happened to him. She had to stop giving him such a hard time, but her Ladybug side wouldn't have any of it, "I'm not some damsel in distress Chat Noir! I can take care of myself…and…and I don't need you always saving me, you have enough superhero stuff to do without me being a burden!" her face scrunched up and Marinette desperately fought the onslaught of tears she felt prick the corners of her eyes.

Chat's ears flattened against his head, " _Marinette,_ did you hear anything I said?! I never said you were damsel in distress! Akumas target everyone randomly, you could get caught in the fray and get hurt!" he grabbed her hands tightly, green eyes boring into her seriously, "You could _never_ be a burden princess, cat's honor,"

He wasn't lying.

Even if the phrase "cat's honor" was supposed to be humorous, it never was with him. She knew he wouldn't ever break any promises he made, especially not when he said that.

Her hands shook and Chat's fingers tightened, "But why? _Why_ can't you let anything happen to me?!" she wanted to know. She _had_ to know.

Fear and worry were the primary emotions battling in his big green eyes and Chat Noir carefully enveloped her in his arms, mindful of her wound, but hugging her close to him as he brokenly whispered in her ear, "I can't afford tolose you too,"

She froze in his arms, stunned to silence by his broken words.

 _I can't afford to lose you too._

Marinette's hands gripped at his back tightly, " _Too? Did he lose someone already?"_ heart heavy with guilt and sympathy and a million other things she couldn't identify, Marinette sunk deeper into his embrace, noting the subtle trembling of his body and the desperate way his claws slightly prickled her as he clutched her carefully tighter to him.

"You won't lose me kitty," her whisper was met with a barely audible sob and a small nod against the side of her face.

 _Not Ladybug or Marinette._ She vowed to herself silently, wishing she could do more than just hold him.

But she didn't know how much her presence was already reassuring him and calming his racing heart and fear-filled mind.

She had no idea how much she mattered.

 **Thank you kindly for reading! :) For my WeHeartIt followers, this is the chapter I've referenced in my edited (new) Marichat picture! :)**


	16. Falling

**A/N:** Hey guys! I've been so hyped because of the new episodes from Season 2! Unfortunately, school and exams have been my main priority now so I couldn't write anything up. Tomorrow is my last exam in math so I hope that goes well. At the end of this week I should be free to write again :)

 **ANSWERS TO REVIEWS:**

 **Unfound name:** haha Don't worry about that, it's partly because the prompts are like that and partly because poor Chat is suffering enough in the series, but I plan on evening out the playing field once I write up the rest of the prompts :)

 **Kzee126:** Really? Thank you! I actually toyed with the idea of writing a Part 2 to that story but planed to ask you and the rest if anyone would be interested in a Part 2 to "Fangs Bared, Claws Out". :3

 **Rating: T (implied death)**

 **Question:** Would anyone be interested in a **Part 2 of "Fangs Bared, Claws Out"?** Tell me your thoughts via PM, e-mail or review please! :)

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

 **Falling**

He felt the biting wind as it whipped past him and whooshed in his ears, he felt him reaching behind his back to grab at his baton, only for his frantic fingers to grasp at thin air.

He felt the almost weightless sensation as he continued falling or maybe he was soaring? He didn't know, everything around him was too much of a blur to make out.

And then a hand.

It was Ladybug, reaching out to him.

Why was she here? They'd been fighting that akuma just now, was he in danger? Why did she look so scared? Was she falling? Was _he_ falling?

He didn't know, but on instinct he extended his hand out to her as much as he could and with another wave of dizziness hitting him, her image was replaced.

It was Marinette, familiar blue eyes shining with the same concern his lady bestowed him with only moments before.

He didn't know what was going on, he didn't know if he was in danger or if this was an illusion from the akuma.

He reached his hand out to her and he realized.

She didn't take his hand.

She couldn't.

She wasn't falling.

He was the one falling.

And when the realization sunk in, the biting cold had already enveloped him and suffocated him, stealing breath from his lungs as he desperately clawed to get to the surface.

He couldn't see Marinette or his lady anymore and his worry skyrocketed, his actions growing more frantic.

All he saw was a blur of black and red and blue.

And then he saw nothing.

* * *

 **Short little sad fic! T_T** For those who are a bit confused: The akuma caught Chat/Adrien in an illusion in the middle of the fight and Ladybug detransformed right before she could reach him to grab his hand.


	17. Fireflies

**A/N:** Wow, I never realized you guys liked Chapter 5 that much ("Fangs Bared, Claws Out") lol ^^ I really very appreciate the emails, PMs and reviews I received and that you guys answered my question! :3

 **Part 2 to "Fangs Bared, Claws Out" will be released tomorrow (Friday)! Stay tuned!** Depending on the reviews to the **second part** I was thinking of maybe turning it into a **mini story.** ^^

 **ANSWERS TO REVIEWS:**

 **Ellie:** haha Thanks so much! I still can't believe people get excited over this (since I don't write for the Miraculous fandom for too long) ^^

 **OtakuGamer69:** Thank you so much for answering! :D The release for the second part is in the Author's note! :)

 **Rated: K+**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

 **Fireflies**

"Good evening,"

Marinette jumped, whirling around to face the familiar voice of her partner, "W-wha- Chat Noir?" she spotted him perched comfortably on her balcony railing, the metal that should be too thin to balance on not fazing him in the least.

Chat Noir's ears drooped against his head as he took a feline-like leap to come closer, "Sorry, did I startle you? I can leave if you want," she could see the barely-there twitch of his muscles, indicating another leap, but she beat him to it.

"No, no, I," she laughed, resting her hand against the side of her face, "I'm sorry, I was thinking about something and I didn't expect you to come," she regarded him curiously, before noticing the agitated motions his tail was making.

Despite the thing being an inanimate object, a belt simply wrapped around his waist, whenever he had it on like this it was as if it had a mind of its own, swishing sometimes gently when he was calm or breaking into quicker whips and swishes when he seemed nervous or irritated. That had also been a tell-tale sign of his mood she used to her advantage, like now.

"Is something wrong kitty?" her nickname for him seemed to have snapped him out of his brooding mood, flashing her the sliver of a smile, before sadness took over his features again.

"Not to worry princess, I promise nothing is amiss," he grinned, before tentatively asking, "Would you mind a stray cat keeping you company?" he inclined his head and Marinette couldn't help but smile, her features softening.

"Not at all," she gestured for him to come closer, "Unfortunately, I don't have any catnip, but maybe chocolate cookies would suffice?" Marinette swore she heard Tikki utter a soft huff from her hiding spot behind a flower pot and she had to suppress a giggle.

Jumping down from his delicate perch, Chat's ears perked up when he spotted the small box filled with the still warm goods, "Don't think I haven't seen through your plan, princess," claws grabbed the first cookie from the bunch, eyes gleaming in awe and gratefulness, "You're trying to make me gain weight," he sent her a smirk before swallowing the cookie whole.

He didn't know how Marinette or her parents or really _anyone_ who ever ate in a bakery before could resist not eating even _more_ of the stuff. It was delicious and sweet and fluffy and perfectly baked to perfection. He mentally made a note to ask Natalie about ordering from the Dupain-Chengs more often.

Marinette smirked, giggling at Chat's elated expression as he chewed on his cookie, "Well, that wouldn't be so bad would it kitty?" she gently poked his firm stomach, "You're too thin as it is,"

Chat blinked, "I…have to watch my weight," he mumbled something about today being a "cheat day" as he took another cookie.

Both leaned against the metal railing of Marinette's balcony and she set the box aside once both were full, enjoying the small snack they shared and the peacefulness that surrounded them.

Hawkmoth had been unusually quiet the past week, only three akuma attacks to take care of along with everyday crimes in the streets. It certainly seemed like Chat Noir and Ladybug could finally catch a break.

It came as a much-needed rest for both Adrien and Marinette, with the increased workload in school and with Adrien's modelling schedule.

Marinette glanced at the superhero beside her, trying to deduce what was wrong. He seemed fine now, the anxiety he had shown earlier completely gone, his face relaxed. She hummed softly. Well, she wouldn't bring it up now, least she wanted to sadden him again. Stifling a yawn, Marinette stared up at the sky, covered with shining stars, one brighter and bigger than the other.

From the corner of his eyes, Chat eyed her carefully, assessing her mood. She seemed at ease, so unlike her nervous, jittery demeanor whenever she was around him as Adrien. He couldn't put his finger on it, he shared his thoughts with Nino about unintentionally scaring her but his DJ friend had only laughed and shaken his head.

Plagg had demanded for more cheese and had snickered, the sly cat god.

Directing his gaze towards the dark sky above, he released a soft hum, tail gently flicking behind him, "See those stars, princess?" he pointed up at them and Marinette followed his line of sight, "They're beautiful,"

"Just like Ladybug?" Marinette quirked a brow playfully, giggling. Of course, her kitty would insinuate something along those lines…

Chat uncharacteristically stilled, "Actually, I was about to say someone else," he turned to look at her meaningfully, but her gaze was already focused on the stars and Chat felt himself smile.

She sighed, "Don't be silly kitty, I know you're joking," she smiled at him then, "Besides, they're not all stars,"

Chat Noir rose an eyebrow curiously, "What do you-" his eyes widened when one of the so called 'stars' gently floated past his face, instinctively he made to swipe at it, "Fireflies?" he followed one floating blob of light curiously.

Marinette laughed at his feline antics, "Mhmm," she said simply, her bluebell eyes shining brightly in amusement as Chat composed himself once more.

"I often come up here when it's night to see them. They…they make me calm after a stressful day," she rested her chin on her hand, watching the fireflies peacefully.

The boy beside her observed her before looking back up at the sky, "Hm…would you mind a stray visiting you once in a while and…keeping you company?" there was a hint of the previous sadness she had seen in him earlier there and Marinette smiled. She moved closer and squeezed his shoulder, like she so often did when she was Ladybug and leaned her body against his, arms resting on the railing.

"No, not at all kitty," she could hear the same distinctive purr when she leaned against him, with her head nestled comfortably on his shoulder, it was the same sound she heard as Ladybug once, "How do you do that?"

"Do what?" Chat looked at her with a warm smile.

She playfully poked his chest, "Purr like a real cat,"

Chat flushed brilliantly, quickly returning his attention to the sky above, trying to ignore the warmth her body emitted from right beside him, "I-uhh, I…" Marinette had to suppress a giggle, he was behaving a bit like she usually did around Adrien, with his newfound stuttering now, "I-It's not really something I can control.." his ears flattened against his head, "Sorry…"

Feeling guilty, Marinette smiled gently and lightly rubbed one of his ears, making him jump, "It's alright kitty, I don't mind," looping her arm through his, Marinette blushed at her actions, trying to hide her face against his forearm, nestling closer into him.

Did she really just say that?

Chat regarded her for a moment before smiling as he noted the dark blush of her cheeks. He chuckled and reveled in her warmth and presence and tightened his hold on her arm just a bit, "Marinette?" he spoke so softly he was afraid she might not hear him.

When he looked down at her again to check if she heard him, she seemed to be sound asleep and he couldn't hide the fond smile from nearly splitting his face.

Carefully reaching around her, he pulled the blanket closer over her body. Looking at the top of her head, he decided against kissing it, instead he buried his face in her dark blue tresses and stayed like that, his eyes looking oddly vulnerable and open, "I wasn't joking, princess…" he sighed into her hair softly, "Yeah…these fireflies and the stars _are_ beautiful," his expression softened as he gently ran a clawed finger down the side of her smooth cheek, "Just like _you_ ," he purred, the sound low and soft, nuzzling her affectionately.

With his head resting against her own one and his tail securely wrapped around her waist and the edge of the railing so they didn't fall while asleep, he closed his eyes and let the soft glow of the fireflies around them and the welcoming scent of his princess lure him to sleep.

 _If I had a choice_

 _If love was a choice_

 _You would be my first_

 _And my last one_

 **Thank you a lot for reading, reviewing, favoriting and following! :)** BTW: The quote here in _italics_ is one I made up! :3


	18. Fangs Bared, Claws Out Part 2

**A/N:** Part 2 is here! I hope everyone enjoys it! Please leave a review or a PM to let me know on what I should still work on and IF I should maybe continue it as a **separate mini story**! Thanks!

 **EDIT:** Not entirely too happy with how this turned out, maybe I'll edit it later.

 **Rating: T**

 **ARTIST: Anyone interested in drawing fanart for my (soon-to-be published) story "Fangs Bared, Claws Out"? :)** Send me a PM or contact me through my e-mail address (found on my profile page). Thanks!

* * *

 **Fangs Bared, Claws Out Part 2**

 _Previously on Fangs Bared, Claws Out…_

 _He felt drowsy, heavy, sleepy all at once and he, not for once in his life, wondered what kind of effect she had on him._

 _He nuzzled into her hair and she sighed contently, "Good night kitty," he smiled, nuzzling her again as he leaned forward and placed a sweet kiss on top of her head._

 _"_ _Good night, princess," he purred softly and let himself be lulled to sleep by the quietness of the night, the scent of his princess all around him and the comforting feeling of her body and warmth against him._

 _He may be flawed, an omen of bad luck, a vicious predator when angered, ready to attack its prey with the intent to kill, but she, this woman, managed to calm the raging beast inside him and bring out everything that was good in him, just like his lady._

 _With a reflexive twitch of his hand, he interlocked their fingers together on her stomach and in a movement, he wasn't entirely sure was done in her sleep, Marinette tightened her grip on his hand and squeezed back._

He knew it was wrong, he knew it went against all and any existing hero rules to be doing this and he was most definitely certain it was considered creepy by many people, but he couldn't resist.

He couldn't resist staring at her sleeping form after being close to losing her last night.

If he hadn't heard her screams, if he hadn't arrived when he did before those men did something even worse…

A knot formed in his stomach, twisting his insides uncomfortably as he clenched his fist tightly. Slowly, Chat Noir moved closer and carefully, he rubbed his nose against her smooth cheek, purring softly as he did. A strong wave of protectiveness washed over him then and he had to physically back away to gain some semblance of control over himself, to rein in his wayward emotions.

It had been bad enough Marinette had to see him last night, untamed, wild, shackles raised.

 _Like a beast._

His lips formed into a thin line and Chat Noir carefully started moving out of the bed, only to stop dead when he felt her hand grasping at his own one.

She was still sleeping, but she gripped his hand tighter when he tried to gently tug it out of her grip. Smiling in amusement, Chat gently caressed her forehead, mindful of his claws.

 _I told you to get away from her, didn't I?_

His eyes widened.

 _Get the hell away from her._

He blinked, grasping his head at the rush of memories.

 _C-Chat, s-stop you will k-kill them._

 _Help me, kitty._

He could feel his claws as they roughly scratched his scalp and the tingling, painful sensation brought him back to reality.

Breathing deeply, Chat's gaze moved toward Marinette, sleeping peacefully.

She was safe.

He ran a hand through his hair and quietly walked over to the side of the bed, pulling the covers more snuggly around her before he quietly exited her room.

 _Damn._

He buried his face in his hands, tail swishing behind him gently, " _I should've turned those guys over to the police,"_ he frowned deeply, moving toward the small balcony and breathing in the fresh morning air.

Keen ears picked up faint, boisterous laughter and his eyes narrowed as he spotted a group of men walking leisurely down the street.

The sharp hiss escaped him before he could suppress it.

 _It was them._

Chat Noir glanced at the clock, it was only seven-thirty. Too early for Marinette to wake up yet.

A brief, very brief, flicker of worry passed through him at the dark grin that crossed his face as he flexed his claws and craned his neck, muscles tensing in preparation as he leaped onto the opposite roof, the men in perfect view.

Seems like luck was on his side today.

He had enough time to take the trash out before Marinette woke up and that was what he was going to do.

* * *

The first thing she felt was dull pain, when she tried to move her muscles locked down in shock at the sudden sharp pain near her midsection, hands immediately flying down to gingerly cover the spot.

Groggily, she opened her eyes and tried to adjust to the light.

It was too early to be awake.

But…why on earth did she feel like a truck had driven over her several times?

Groaning in pain, Marinette slowly got up, hands changing positions on the bed to maneuver herself without causing too much pain. Once she finally settled into a sitting position, the first thing that came rushing back to her were the events of last night.

 _Chat Noir!_

Quickly, her gaze scanned the room and she felt her heart tighten in disappointment.

Where had her kitty gone off to?

She shook her head and slowly stood up, lifting her shirt to reveal her stomach, normally smooth skin suffering angry dark red welts and bruises that were in the early stages of turning purple. She winced, dropping the hem of her shirt and exiting her bedroom.

"Chaton?" when she couldn't hear her partner, she tried again, "Here, kitty, kitty, kitty,"

She pouted.

No Chat Noir it seemed.

She spotted clean dishes that were set out to dry and had to smile. Had he woken up early to clean up? She shook her head. She knew Chat Noir wasn't much of a morning person, since they had had a few sleepovers when they had been younger.

All of them ended up with _Marinette_ having to resort to drastic measures and use her squirt bottle to shoo him out of her room before her parents found him there.

She had to giggle at the memory before a familiar red blur slammed straight into her chest, "Marinette!"

Her hands immediately cupped the red creature, nuzzling her against her cheek, "Tikki!" she sighed, thank god her kwami was safe. She completely forgot about Tikki last night, good thing she managed to hide before Chat Noir could _spot_ her.

Wait…did she just pun?

Shaking her head, Marinette smiled gently at her worried kwami, "I'm so sorry Tikki, you must be starving!" Marinette quickly rushed towards her secret cookie stash in a cabinet under her TV, opening the bag of cookies she baked yesterday for Tikki.

The little god frowned in concern, flying all over Marinette, "I was so worried! What happened yesterday? You were supposed to be back and meet with Chat Noir on patrol but instead Chat Noir carried you here and you were hurt and he was so worried and he kept whispering in his sleep how everything was his fault and I didn't know what happened-"

Marinette blinked, "Wait, what did Chat Noir whisper in his sleep?" she cupped her hands under Tikki, allowing the poor kwami to take a moment to collect her thoughts as her charge soothingly stroked her head.

Tikki took deep, calming breaths, blue eyes looking up at Marinette in deep concern, "He was having difficulties sleeping, so he woke up every now and then and blamed himself for what happened." Tikki frowned, "He kept saying sorry," she eyed her wielder worriedly, "Marinette, what exactly did happen yesterday? Was it something with Chat Noir?"

Marinette winced at the memory, "Um…well…" she sighed, carefully flopping down tiredly on her chaise, "I was walking home from the bakery when some men overwhelmed me and…" she bit her lip, "They…I mean I wasn't hurt too badly, but…one of them tried to…do something _more_ than just 'hurt' me but thankfully Chat Noir came and saved me," a sudden shiver suddenly raced down her spine violently.

"What?!" Tikki's erratic flying made Marinette's head spin, "Do you still think leaving me at home is a good idea?! Oh Marinette I _knew_ it was a bad idea!" she flew right into Marinette's face, nuzzling her affectionately, "I'm so sorry, you could have transformed and none of this would have happened!"

Marinette smiled, nuzzling her kwami back, "I'm fine Tikki, once I spend a few hours as Ladybug all my wounds should be taken care of," she bit her bottom lip and Tikki broke apart to gauge her expressions, "But…last night…" she looked at her kwami, "There was something about Chat Noir…something I've never seen before Tikki…" her hands ran along the length of her thighs, fisting the fabric of her pants tightly, "It…it made me really worried about him, he…he looked so _different,_ "

Tikki frowned, "…What do you mean with 'different'?"

"I mean…he was really angry when he saved me from those men. I mean I understand him, if somebody were to do that to Alya or Nino or Adrien I would be angry too but Tikki he was…" she paused, searching for a word which could describe the intimidating experience, "...so dark,"

Marinette suddenly buried her face in her hands, groaning loudly, " _Ugh!_ No! That doesn't sound right!" she kicked her feet, throwing her arms up in the air as a perplexed Tikki watched on, "I mean, not evil like Hawkmoth! It's not that it was just…his eyes were so different Tikki …narrowed like a real cats, and his claws were much longer and he was _hissing_ and _growling_ and, and-" she sighed heavily, her voice turning quiet, "He threatened one of those men with Cataclysm…and for a moment, I…I really thought he might do it. He was just so _angry_ ,"

Tikki remained silent for a while, obviously thinking how to best approach the situation.

"Marinette…were you afraid of Chat Noir?" she carefully watched how Marinette's eyes widened before she immediately quenched Tikki's worries with a firm 'no', "What you saw last night…it was another power of Plagg, Chat Noir's kwami," Marinette nodded slowly, waiting for Tikki to continue.

The red kwami sighed, "Chat Noir is always followed by bad luck and since his power is destruction, there are many responsibilities that, especially the wielder of the cat miraculous has to be cautious of. If Chat Noir's power were to be abused in the wrong way…" Tikki shuddered and she knew Marinette needed no further explanation on that.

"But…how did that affect him so much? I mean, Chat Noir generally rarely gets angry or worked up but last night…he didn't hold back Tikki, not towards the civilians. Not until I told him to stop. It was like he was in some sort of trance or frenzy…it…that side of him…I've never knew he had it…" she gazed out her balcony window thoughtfully, sweaty hands rubbing against her pants to soak up the moisture.

Tikki settled on top of Marinette's knee, making her charge stare down at her, "Plagg always had a strong influence on his chosens, so most of them tended to act more like felines… including more darker sides that came with them, like territorial behavior and protectiveness over loved ones," she thought she was overwhelming Marinette with everything, but thankfully the young woman seemed to be doing fine absorbing all the knowledge.

"So, you mean… Chat Nour acted purely on…instinct?" she rose an eyebrow questioningly and Tikki shook her head softly.

"Not 'purely' I would say. But he acted on Plagg's influence and his own feelings," she smiled reassuringly up at her chosen, "I wouldn't worry so much, I'm sure Chat Noir wouldn't have really used Cataclysm on them, even if he did say that."

Marinette offered her a weak smile, patting her head, "I guess…"

"You don't sound convinced," Tikki was as perceptive as usual.

Marinette sighed, "I just…I can't get the image of him out of my head Tikki. He looked like a feral cat, with his shackles raised and ready to tear his enemies into shreds! I think the most shocking thing is that _Marinette_ invoked such a response from him,"

After several moments, Tikki flew up to Marinette's face and gently slapped her cheeks, causing the dark haired woman to yelp in surprise, "T-Tikki!"

"I know what you're thinking Marinette, but you're wrong! Chat Noir cares just as much about you as he does about Ladybug!" she crossed her tiny arms, "He wouldn't have worried so much otherwise, don't you think?" she rose an eyebrow expectantly and Marinette couldn't help but agree.

"I know that he cares about me but…I had no idea how much," her heart gave a involuntary tug and Marinette stubbornly pushed the feeling down.

"You barely ate, come on let's make breakfast while we wait for Chat Noir to come back," Marinette lifted an eyebrow at Tikki.

"Wait, how do you know Chat Noir will come back?"

Tikki smiled, "I saw him jump out of the balcony window and he left it open, I don't think he will be too long," she giggled and stirred her charge towards the kitchen.

* * *

"Thank you, Chat Noir," the policeman nodded respectfully at the tall superhero.

Chat Noir nodded back, "Just make sure they get the punishment they deserve," his gaze traveled back down toward the bound men inside the police car and he leaned down to look inside at each of them, green eyes taking on the dangerous glow from last night.

The men instinctively tensed as the atmosphere seemed to grow cold and overflowing with crackling energy as Chat Noir pinned them with his gaze alone, they heard the chilling sounds of his claws scraping against the metal hood of the car and it sent simultaneous shivers down their spines.

His voice was low and throaty, the same tone from last night, "Now that the cat is out of the bag, I hope you learned your lesson," white, sharp teeth flashed and the man sitting closest to the window Chat Noir was looking into froze as elongated fangs peeked from the corner of his mouth, "We wouldn't want a _purrible_ repeat of last night," his eyes glowed, "…do we?"

All three men nodded their heads quickly, too afraid to speak for fear of awakening his wrath. They didn't doubt Chat Noir would deal some sort of punishment even in front of the police officer.

Claws tapped the hood again and the sound rang loudly in the men's ears as the fangs and the eerie aura around the superhero disappeared, replacing it with his usual bravado, "Good! Have fun in _purrison_!"

With a flourish Chat Noir was gone, leaving behind a stunned police officer and a flock of angsty criminals convicted for attempted rape and physical assault.

* * *

Chat Noir soundlessly landed on the balcony again, retracting his staff and balancing the bouquet of flowers in his other hand as the familiar, delicious aroma of food hit him like a truck.

Momentarily disoriented, Chat Noir dragged his feet behind him as he walked toward the source, hearing a very familiar feminine giggle which caused his eyes to snap open.

Marinette was looking quite amused as she did the finishing touches to her pancakes, adding whipped cream, chocolate and strawberries on top. Chat's gaze scanned the table, filled with cream filled buns, pastries of all kinds, cookies an-

"… _Croissants?_ " Chat's tail stood ramrod straight and the man dived toward the stunned woman, enveloping her in a tight hug out of sheer happiness, "Princess you outdid yourself this time!"

His heart was brimming with joy but it quickly pummeled to the bottom of his stomach when he heard the painful hiss escaping her and he immediately released her, backing away, terrified if he hurt her.

Marinette smiled weakly, holding onto her side gingerly, "Marinette, are you-"

"I'm fine kitty, just a bit sore," when his gaze hardened, she quickly added, "From my gym classes yesterday! I went to the gym in the morning," she grinned widely, hoping she sounded more convincing to him than herself.

Chat crossed his arms, gaze narrowed, "Princess…"

Marinette shifted her weight, "It's true," her tone was defensive, before her shoulder slumped at his unrelenting gaze, "Kitty, I'm fine honestly-"

"I wasn't quick enough," words failed her then, too stunned by his low confession to speak, "If I had been there earlier they wouldn't have even had an opportunity to touch you…" he remembered the bruises on her face, her busted lip, the cuts…

His fists clenched and suddenly, he remembered the flowers he held in his hands, nearly crushing them in his death grip. Sheepishly, Chat held them out for her, "Er, oh um, I got you these," he grinned boyishly, "I saw them while passing through and thought you might like them,"

Her heart leaped into her throat at the sweet gesture as she took the flowers from him and smelled them, carefully setting them aside. While the gesture was incredibly thoughtful, they had more pressing matters to attend, "Thank you for the flowers Chat but-"

He cut her off weakly, gaze firmly fixated on a spot on the floor, "What you saw last night…" his brows furrowed, trying to find the right words, "I…I can't really explain it myself, Mari…I just… _moved_. I only remembered wanting to protect you before I saw red. I understand if you were afraid of me and what I did, but I never wanted to harm you princess you have to believe me," he gazed at her seriously, heart beating wildly in fear as his ears flattened against his head.

What would she think of him now? Would she call him the monster some Parisians claim him to be? Had he scared her?

He froze when her arms wrapped tightly around his middle, her head resting against his chest as she released a soft chuckle, "Silly kitty…of course I know you'd never harm me." She paused and she felt him tense, "But…I _was_ afraid," she mumbled quietly into his chest and she felt his hands gently, ever so carefully weave into her hair to gently scratch her scalp, "Not of you, never of you chaton. I…I just…" her grip around him tightened, "I was afraid how far you would go to protect me…"

He froze and for several tense moments, none of them moved, then Chat Noir's arms wrapped around her and she melted against him.

He buried his face in her hair, his voice so quiet she strained to hear him, "I thought they…I…" he grit his teeth, "I thought I lost you, Mari…I was terrified." His grip tightened, drawing her closer, "When I saw you with all those wounds, I couldn't control myself. I wanted to get you somewhere safe, I wanted to protect you, I…I wanted to make them pay for what they did,"

He sighed shakily, taking a discreet whiff of her scent and it immediately calmed him.

Marinette's voice was a bit louder, muffled slightly by his chest, "I know kitty, I know. I was scared too but…" her hands splayed on his firm chest, hiding her face against it so he couldn't see her pink cheeks, "I…felt safe with you,"

Relief immediately flooded his whole being and he couldn't resist pulling her even closer, not even a sliver of space remaining between them as they hugged for what felt like hours.

Marinette was the one to, albeit reluctantly, break away, "I think the food is getting cold," Chat laughed, a rich sound that made everything seem a little brighter.

"Furgot about that," he smiled sheepishly, scratching the back of his neck, Marinette failing to avoid looking at the way his bicep flexed with the movement, "You're amazing you know that?" his gaze softened as he looked at all the food she managed to prepare before settling on her.

Marinette blinked, quickly setting to fixing them plates, thankful for the distractions, "T-take a seat kitty, food will be ready in a minute!"

Adrien watched her, increasingly curious at her different moods.

She wasn't scared of him. That had been the greatest relief.

She didn't seem to be angry at him either.

Wait…

Was she blushing?

Adrien shook his head, " _Probably from the heat of the oven,"_ he reasoned, sitting down at the table and watching, with a dopey smile on his face, as she whirled around the kitchen expertly to set everything for their hearty breakfast.

He blinked.

Their hearty breakfast.

 _Their hearty breakfast._

 _Their_ breakfast.

Flushing uncomfortably from his face down, Chat shifted in his seat, trying to dispel any and all thoughts of a not unfamiliar domestic setting with a certain blue haired friend of his.

It didn't help at all that she was probably wearing the most cutest apron he ever saw in his entire life and he was _purrety_ sure he knew what inspired the design.

He smirked when she sat down opposite of him, his smirk widening even more when she shot him a suspicious, confused look, "…Why are you looking like you just got the canary?"

His Chat bravado was back in full force, all male, "I don't know _purrincess,_ " his eyes deliberately trailed over the front of the apron, "But I like your sense of style," his eyes gleamed wickedly, "It suits me _purrfectly,"_

It took only half a second for Marinette to realize what he was insinuating, before he found the apron chucked at his face and an embarrassed, enraged squeal sounding from the smaller woman as he chuckled silently.

The apron was his favorite: _Puns are clawsome & kittens are purrfect._

Marinette groaned at the smug cat.

She should have seen it coming.

 **Thank you for reading!** There's a tidbit written in the Author's Note to read! :)


	19. The Last Butterfly

**A/N:** Wow, thank you to every reader (even if they only read and never comment, that's okay too) for enjoying my short stories! :) I'm always a little nervous writing for a new fandom and messing up characters so any and all pointers on improvement are very welcome and help me gain more motivation! :)

 **ANSWERS TO REVIEWS:**

 **Kzee126:** haha Thank you so much! Honestly, your review about liking 20-year old Chat Noir finally pushed me to write up the second part, I've been thinking about it since a month to be honest! ^^

 **Guest1:** Thanks for your thoughts! A possible release date for the mini story is mentioned in the Author's Notes above! :D

 **Sil:** And I love _you_ random citizen! (winks) haha Jokes aside, it means a lot to me that you like it, I'm glad it isn't nearly as crappy as I thought it was ^^

 **Guest2:** Thanks for reading and reviewing my story! Now, as for your review, I completely understand your viewpoint, since it's something I get irritated at sometimes too when browsing stories. And I'm not mad at all for pointing that out, that's what readers are for right? :) Ahh, but I did mention how our awesome kitty brought those baddies to the police, it's written in **Chapter 18: Fangs Bared, Claws Out Part 2"** and I honestly don't blame you for reviewing before reading the second part, since it's quite a few chapters after the first one. Thanks to your review, I'll put up a small note on the first part so readers know there is a second one just in case. Thank you so much for your lovely review and have a nice day :) P.S: I really like that somebody actually noticed that, since it's not such a small deal, especially since physical assault and attempted rape is mentioned. :3

 **Rating: K+**

* * *

 **The Last Butterfly**

Ladybug smiled for what she knew would be the last time she said the following words, "Bye. Bye little butterfly," she waved at the flying insect, watching in a mixture of odd sadness and relief as the white wings beat furiously, flying into the bright Parisian sky.

Paris held its breath, civilians filling the streets as they all watched with baited breath how Hawkmoth took Ladybug's hand, standing up from his crouched position upon his defeat.

Ladybug smiled, "I'm glad you'll be on our side, Hawkmoth. It'll be a pleasure to work with you as a new protector of Paris," she held her hand out to him, waiting.

Hawkmoth stared down at her hand, before his gaze flickered over to Chat Noir, who smiled and nodded encouragingly, a knowing look in his eyes.

Sighing and making up his mind once and for all, Hawkmoth shook Ladybug's hand firmly and Paris erupted into cheers and laughter and celebration only moments after, both hero and former villain turned to look at the elated expressions on every Parisian's face.

Ladybug, Chat Noir and Hawkmoth's Miraculous beeped and Ladybug turned to Hawkmoth and her partner, "I guess it's time to go home," she turned to address Hawkmoth directly, "I'll be looking forward to working with you in the future!"

He nodded at her, the sliver of a smile appearing on his face as he watched her leave. He shared a knowing look with Chat Noir, whose smile seemed just a little brighter as he waved at Paris and took off on his staff, Hawkmoth following suit with his butterflies.

Both landed on top of the roof of their home, making sure they were well away from any watchful eyes as Chat Noir looked at Hawkmoth, "There's still one place I need to go to before I can join you, father,"

Gabriel nodded but before Adrien could take off again, he pulled the stunned superhero against his chest, arms wrapped around him tightly.

Chat's eyes widened. He knew this was his father, but for a split second his mind instinctively reacted to fight off the enemy until he stilled and finally melted against his father's rare embrace.

Gabriel ran a hand over the uncharacteristically untamed hair of his son, scoffing softly when he realized he hadn't been able to recognize his own son in the leather getup. His grip tightened around him, pulling Adrien closer. His heart felt heavy with the knowledge that all the years he had invested in capturing Ladybug and Chat Noir's Miraculous in order to bring his wife back, he had been neglecting and hurting his son, the only family he had left.

Reluctantly, Gabriel released him and placed both hands on his shoulders, "Things will be different now, Adrien," he could see the look of apprehension in his son's eyes before he smiled, "I acknowledge that my admittedly poor parenting has caused you a lot of grief over the years, especially since the disappearance of your mother," a sad look crossed Adrien's face but he looked back up at his father when he squeezed his shoulders, "But I promise you, I shall do my best to repent for my mistakes and try to be the father you need," he smiled at his son, the action slightly unfamiliar, he hadn't smiled like this since his wife disappeared.

Adrien launched himself into his father's arms once more, nuzzling him affectionately and Gabriel couldn't help but chuckle when he heard the distinctively feline sound his son was making in his throat, "I never knew you were able to do that,"

Flushing and pulling away, Adrien scratched at the back of his neck, "I uh, it, its- I'm sorry father, I c-can't really control it-"

Gabriel shook his head and with a brief moment of hesitation, ruffled his son's messy hair gently, "As long as you don't start drinking milk from a bowl I don't mind the…interesting side effects of the Miraculous," he chuckled in amusement when Adrien coughed.

"D-don't worry…I don't do that," he chuckled uncomfortably, before remembering something, "Hey, wait, if you have the butterfly Miraculous…what do you do then?" he rose an eyebrow curiously and Gabriel felt himself tense uncomfortably.

"Didn't you say you had to go visit someone?" he inquired, hoping his son would forget about the embarrassing question.

A light bulb switched on in his brain and Chat quickly extended his staff, "Right! I forgot! I'll see you at supper!"

Gabriel smirked, "Don't be late, superhero or not you still have curfew!" he sighed, shaking his head at himself.

He still had curfew? How many years has it been since he uttered such a fatherly thing?

Stealthily entering his house, he dropped his transformation and caught an exhausted Noorroo in his hands, "Are you alright, master? That has been a long fight," the poor kwami looked exhausted beyond belief and Gabriel's expression softened.

"I'm fine Noorroo, but you aren't," walking over to a small cabinet, butterflies flew out of his way when he kneeled down and retrieved a few goods from it, before setting Noorroo and the goods on a small black couch, "Drink Noorroo, you have to regain your strength,"

Eyes zeroing in on the different juicy fruits before him, Noorroo dived for the small glass filled with a nearly transparent liquid – nectar, while slurping the contents of the glass, Noorroo spoke right after swallowing a mouthful, "Master, you don't have to go through the trouble of extracting it from flowers, I'm able to do that myself-"

Gabriel smiled, taking a seat next to his kwami and gently patting his head, "Call me Gabriel, Noorroo,"

The poor kwami coughed, choking on his meal as he stared up at his charge with wide eyes, "Are you alright, master?"

Gabriel rolled his eyes, "Yes, Noorroo, I'm just telling you not to call me 'master' anymore,"

The little kwami smiled, "I told you Ladybug and Chat Noir would be a good influence," he continued happily feasting on his food, his mood brighter now that his charge finally switched to the 'good' side.

Gabriel smirked, eyes watching the peacefully flying butterflies in his lair, "Yes…I suppose they were," there was a knowing look in his eye as he wondered what Nathalie would think of the latest developments.

Noorroo pointedly looked at his chosen and Gabriel's eyes narrowed at his kwami, "...What?"

Noorroo smiled, "You haven't told Adrien about your...tendencies?"

Gabriel shot him a dark look, "...Never speak of this again, Noorroo,"

The kwami smiled contently sipping on his nectar, "Yes, Gabriel,"

* * *

Chat Noir never ran faster in his life, jumping over protruding chimneys and narrowly missing collision with walls as he jumped from roof to roof, scaling walls quickly in his desperate need.

He _had_ to go to Marinette.

His eyes lighted up when he spotted her balcony and his speed increased, arms and legs bent as he took a mighty leap and spun in the air, landing roughly on her balcony, taking a moment to recover from the momentum before gently but rapidly knocking on her hatch.

"Princess!"

"Chat Noir?" the hatch swung open faster than Chat expected, and he quickly leaped out of the way, her eyes wide and voice sounding a little breathless, as if she had been running.

"Princess!" he helped her out of her room and into the open air, noticing the look of nervousness and confusion on her face.

"C-Chat, what are you-"

He quickly grabbed her shoulders, rendering her speechless, "Princess! My lady! I know!" he gazed meaningfully into her eyes, seeing the realization in them, his voice turned softer, his grip still remaining around her shoulders, " _I know_ ,"

Marinette blinked, stunned, then started laughing hysterically, "I-I have no idea what you-"

But he was serious, "Ladybug, please," after several seconds of staring at each-other, Marinette's shoulders finally slumped, and she weakly looked up at him.

Her voice was small, quiet, "…How?"

Chat beamed, grinning from ear to ear, "Let's just say a little cat told me," he winked.

" _Ugh_ , your kwami?" Marinette glared at his ring, who was down to two paws, "Thanks traitor," she stuck her tongue out at him.

Chat chuckled, watching her sigh heavily, "Well, now you know I guess…" she shuffled her feet, "Are…are you disappointed?" her gaze dropped to the ground to stare at her feet.

Adrien smiled, and he carefully caressed her cheek with his clawed hand, "More like clawsomely purrprised," he grinned widely, lifting her into his arms suddenly and spinning her around.

Marinette shrieked with laughter and surprise, arms clutching at his broad shoulders tightly and suddenly there was a bright light.

Setting her down gently, Marinette gasped in shock, " _A-A-Adrien?!"_

Adrien smiled sheepishly, shooting Plagg a small glare, " _Ugh_ , I couldn't take anymore of this lovey dovey stuff," he blanched, sticking his tongue out in disgust.

Marinette pointed her finger at him after partially recovering from her shock, "You betrayed our trust as Miraculous wielders!"

Plagg's ears drew back slightly, "Um…in my defense, the kid wouldn't _stop_ talking about you, he talks in his sleep a lot too, you know?"

" _Plagg!"_

 _"_ Plagg! _"_ Marinette and Adrien watched transfixed as a red blur suddenly slammed right into the cat kwami.

"Tikki!" Marinette giggled as the two kwamis laughed and chased each-other playfully, rejoicing happily.

Adrien scratched the back of his neck uncomfortably, "I guess the cats out of the bag, huh?" Marinette rolled her eyes playfully.

Adrien suddenly rose an eyebrow when he noticed something, "Wait…you're taking this a lot better than I thought…" he narrowed his eyes at her suspiciously.

It was Marinette's turn to blush, "Uhm…I, well I…" she sighed, "I wanted us to maybe reveal our identities to each-other after we defeated Hawkmoth and…well it finally happened but it happened a lot sooner than I thought," she grinned sheepishly.

Adrien blinked before sobering, "Marinette I…I wanted to tell you this for a long time now but I…I was so confused because of Ladybug and my feelings for you and I…" he took a deep breath, looking her bravely in the eyes, "What I'm trying to say is…I l-love you princess, my lady," he offered her a weak smile.

The two kwamis suddenly stilled and Plagg made a ' _ohhh_ ' sound until Tikki elbowed him and clamped her small arms over Plagg's mouth shut.

Marinette stood frozen, face uncomfortably red before she stammered out, "I-I-I l-l-love you too Adrien," she lifted her gaze from the floor, her expression more confident and warm now, "Kitty, _chaton, minou…_ " she giggled at his surprised look.

Adrien smiled, wrapping his arms around his lady, "M'lady, bugaboo, lovebug,"

Marinette laughed and playfully poked his nose, "I never said I was your lovebug, chaton," she smirked, her sass as her alter ego was back in full force.

Adrien made his famous kitty eyes at her and she suddenly realized how _stupid_ they both were for failing to realize their identities sooner, "You wound me, my lady," she rolled her eyes playfully when he laughed.

"Does this mean you won't use the squirt bottle on me anymore when I come and visit you as Chat?"

Marinette smirked, "Only if you stop giving me heart attacks when you're Adrien," she laughed and Adrien's expression softened at her teasing before dissolving into an evil smirk.

"I told you you'd swoon," he wiggled his eyebrows suggestively and Marinette giggled, smiling up at him.

"You make me _sick_ ,"

Marinette, Adrien and Tikki all simultaneously shouted, " _Plagg!"_

" _Cheese_!" the cat kwami grinned widely.

 **Thank you kindly for reading! Accepting prompts! :)**


	20. Dinner for Two

**A/N:** Yes, I'm obviously on a Marichat roll lol ^^ I'm genuinely happy about the nice reviews I've received for the last few chapters, so I decided to finally put a long standing idea of mine to paper or uh, screen ;)

 **Inspiration:** I've read somewhere that in some Japanese restaurants, apparently when you dine alone you can get a huge stuffed animal to sit with so you won't eat alone. I thought the idea was incredibly cute and somehow, after looking at my own Marichat picture collection on my phone, I got this idea. It's very odd, I have to confess but I just found it so cute ^^ Pawlease have mercy dear readers! :3

 **Anyone know any friendly artists who are interested in drawing fanart for this little one shot collection or any of the one shots? Unfortunately, my drawing skills simply don't compare ^^**

 **Rating: T**

* * *

 **Dinner for Two**

Marinette let her gaze scan the menu slowly, trying to decide on what to eat. It was her first time in this restaurant, Alya had recommended it to her after Nino had taken her out on their 'surprise' date the day after, talking about how the food was exquisite and how affordable it was in comparison to other more fancy restaurants.

Finally deciding on a simple pasta dish, Marinette smiled kindly at the waiter that took her order, drumming her fingers against the table and checking her phone for messages. The waiter returned first with her water, then minutes later with her food.

She thanked him and smiled, already smitten by the delicious aroma of the steaming plate before her. Having bakers as parents with her mother being a very good cook outside of baking pastries, she had slightly higher expectations than some others. Still, she could appreciate good food when there was some.

Minutes ticked by and Marinette was about to take her first bite after waiting for it to cool when suddenly the waiter from before walked over to her. Her eyes widened as big as saucers when she noticed the giant stuffed cat the man held in his arms, before he placed it on the chair opposite of her.

Marinette hastily called out after noticing the waiter was beginning to leave, "E-Excuse me! I-I didn't order stuffed cat!" she sounded silly, even to herself. Honestly, who _would_ order a stuffed animal? At a restaurant no less?

The man turned back toward her and gestured toward the stuffed animal, "This is one of our principal rules madam," he smiled, "Customers eating alone get to enjoy the privilege of having some company, even in the form of a stuffed animal,"

Marinette's eyes shot to her hairline, surprise clearly radiating off her.

Wait…had Alya known about this? Did she think her friend was lonely? While it _was_ true that Marinette hadn't had a date in a year, it most definitely was _not_ true that she was lonely. Not in particular anyway.

"I'm sorry, but I uhm…I don't need it," she cringed when the waiter winced, obviously thinking he had offended her, "T-thank you for the kind offer though," she smiled, hoping to soften the unintentional blow.

But, when the man picked the stuffed toy up again, the big black cat head visible from over his shoulders, Marinette swore it seemed like the cat was looking at her.

Feeling an odd sense of guilt and loneliness hit her, she timidly called out with a raised hand, "Uhm, please w-wait!"

The waiter stopped mid-step, turning around toward her with a raised eyebrow, "Yes, madam?"

Marinette flushed uncontrollably, fingers fidgeting nervously as she uttered her request in rapid succession, "CanImaybehavethecatback?"

The waiter leaned down closer, face turned to hear her, "Excuse me mademoiselle, I didn't hear you,"

Marinette swallowed down her humiliation at what she was about to request and spoke a little louder and clearer, "M-may I please have the cat back?" she grinned sheepishly, face on fire as the waiter smiled softly and positioned the large black cat back on the chair, facing her.

"I knew the miss would like it, this one seems to be fancied by the ladies quite a lot," he winked and walked off to another group of customers, making Marinette doubt her choice.

Sighing to herself, she began to eat, only to glance up at the stuffed toy after the first bite.

She felt uncomfortable.

It was _staring_ at her while she was _eating alone_.

Now Marinette was by no means shy of eating in public, but having a large stuffed animal have its empty bleary gaze at her while she was eating was another matter entirely, maybe she should call the waiter again…

A loud chorus of laughter suddenly cut the relatively peaceful silence of the restaurant and the soothing music playing in the background, and she glanced to the side to spot a large group of university students laughing and talking animatedly, gesturing wildly with their hands while they talked.

Marinette felt a twinge of jealousy, missing the times when she and her old friends from university would hang out and go and eat after classes.

Shaking her head vigorously, she stubbornly turned back to her food and after every mouthful of the admittedly delicious dish, she felt loneliness eat away at her the more the university students talked and laughed.

She glanced at the stuffed cat quickly.

" _No!_ " she quickly shook her head again, " _I'm a self-respecting, twenty-five-year-old woman, I will_ _ **not**_ _start talking to a stuffed animal because I'm feeling lonely,"_

"This food is really tasty," freezing mid-bite, Marinette groaned.

" _It's okay, I'm just talking to myself, that's fine right? Maybe people talk to themselves,"_ except she was staring straight at the stupid stuffed cat while she was talking.

"This is not happening, I'm not talking to a stuffed toy, I'm a self-respecting woman, I'm a self-respecting-"

"Are you alright, madam?" the waiter strolled by again, noticing the look of conflicted anguish on her face.

Marinette jumped in her seat, quickly plastering what she hoped was a reassuring smile on her face, "Y-yes, yes I'm fine!" she laughed nervously and the waiter nodded respectfully, continuing on his way.

Marinette slumped back in her seat, sighing heavily.

Hesitantly, she looked at the cat again.

It was large, she was sure if she would pick up it, it would easily dwarf her torso, but it was small enough to sit on the chair and not fall off it. It was completely black, save for it's bright green eyes. Black cat ears adorned the top of its head and Marinette fought down the sudden, childish urge to reach out and feel the texture of them. Oddly enough, it's paw prints were green.

Green?

What an odd color to give to a cat's paws…

She shrugged, figuring it was perhaps a new trend she didn't know anything about.

She became more interested in finishing her meal, after contemplating for a solid twenty seconds if she was losing her sanity after almost asking the stuffed toy out loud if it wanted to eat something too.

Maybe Alya was right, maybe she was getting delusional from her dry spell of not dating for a year.

Maybe the loneliness was getting to her.

But that didn't make any sense to her, she was socializing, just not… _overly_ so. She still hung out with Alya and her boyfriend Nino and all their other friends from university, just not as often as she would have liked. Running a small boutique and designing her clothes herself took a lot of her free time, it was a miracle she could even go out with Alya twice a week due to the increase in orders for custom made dresses for the summer.

Marinette sighed, resting her face in her hands. She slowly lifted it and rested her elbows on the table, looking at the cat with a critical eye, "I bet you don't have any problems socializing," remembering the water mentioning something about this particular toy being "fancied by the ladies".

Maybe it _were_ the green paw prints…they did look kind of adorable.

Shaking her head violently, Marinette lifted her hand to her forehead to check her own temperature, " _I must be losing my mind,"_

"Well, at least the food was really good," it really was, she would definitely consider coming here again, but next time _without_ the weird company of her temporary stuffed companion.

Sighing heavily, Marinette was about to count her money to pay for the bill when suddenly, she heard a voice, distinctively male, "Yeah, I'm stuffed,"

She froze, eyes quickly glancing to her right and left repeatedly, trying to find who could have possibly spoke so close to her without her knowing.

The closest patron to her was a middle aged woman, eating her noodle soup with a large, oversized bear as her dinner company.

Marinette blinked and ran a hand down her face in exasperation, "Great, I must be really losing it,"

Again, that voice, " _Yeah, I'm stuffed_ ,"

Freezing on the spot, Marinette slowly, robotically, turned her head toward the cat toy opposite of her, staring lifelessly at her.

"….Did you just… _talk_?" her right eye twitched.

Great. Now _she_ was talking to a large, oversized cat toy.

 _Again,_ " _The food is clawsome!"_

She jumped in fright, "D-did it just pun?!" she held her hands up defensively, eyes wide in shock.

 _No, no, no, no, no, this couldn't be happening!_

But it _was_!

Shooting the cat a dark look, she settled back onto her seat against the cushioned surface of her chair, warily eyeing the toy.

Now it didn't say anything anymore. Perhaps it reacted to being talked to?

Feeling foolish, Marinette cast quick glances around her, making sure everybody within potential hearing range was too busy with their food before she very quietly whispered, "Hi,"

Her heart leapt into her throat when the cat actually _replied_ , "Nice to _meowt_ you," there it was again! That voice!

So, it really _could_ talk!

She shook her head. They must have implanted a speaker inside the toy to not make customers feel so lonely. Funny, she distinctively remembered one of the kids she was occasionally babysitting, Manon, had a similar figure which repeated its catchphrases when a string on its back was pulled.

Marinette giggled to herself, feeling foolish for some reason.

Relaxing again after a while, she reached into her purse and called the waiter over to pay, glancing back at the stuffed cat, "Hm…I guess, it was nice meeting you too, kitty," she had to stifle a giggle when the waiter came to take her money.

He eyed the empty plate first, before he noticed the smile on her face, his schooled neutral expression melted into a small smile, "I assume the madam has enjoyed the company?"

Marinette giggled out loud, "Yes, I have, thank you again. The food was wonderful, my compliments to the chef," the waiter bowed and left, leaving Marinette alone with the cat toy.

She thought he would remove it when she paid, but it still remained there, watching her. At least, she felt like it did.

Grabbing her jacket, Marinette looked around before she allowed her fingers to gently caress the black cat ears perched on top of its head, marveling at the softness.

She quickly pulled her hand back when an elderly couple walked passed her, grinning nervously.

"Thank you for the food, have a nice day!" Marinette called to the two waiters at the counter, before pausing, "…and for the special feature of your stuffed animals, it makes dining alone much more enjoyable," she offered both men a bright smile.

Taking a deep breath, Marinette made her way toward the exit of the restaurant, the soothing music playing softly in the background calming her mind as she cast one last glance back at the black cat toy.

She thought the cat was staring at her.

* * *

Taking the headset off his head, a great sigh could be heard coming from the small room and one of the waiters knocked gently on the door, the voice from the inside answering, "Come in,"

"Are you alright? It's almost time for your break," the waiter rose an eyebrow at the array of water bottles, coke cans and smelly cheese bits cluttered around the cramped space.

The figure seated at the swiveling chair groaned, "Thanks Pierre, I'll be out in a minute. And please tell Plagg to clean up after he eats his smelly cheese," the young man rolled his eyes, bright green eyes twinkling in amusement when the waiter chuckled and closed the door.

The man sighed and checked the video tapes, turning off the microphone on his headset while his eyes scanned the customers of today.

One particular customer caught his eye and he moved the camera back toward the specific video footage, showing a young woman with dark hair worn in pigtails sitting with a large, black stuffed cat toy.

He sighed, eyes narrowing, before his lips curled in a smirk, "She seemed interesting," he chuckled when he replayed their brief one-sided conversation.

 _"_ _She actually thought she was going crazy…"_ he shook his head, chuckling when he remembered a thing she had said about socializing.

 _I bet you don't have any problems socializing._

Blonde hair fell into green eyes and the man ran a hand through the messy blonde tresses, now wild and untamed after so many times of combing through it with his hands. He stood up from his seat and stretched his back, walking over to the door and knocking on it twice.

A few minutes after, the door opened and Pierre handed him his own cooked meal, after thanking his colleague, the young man plopped back down on his chair, watching the video footage of the dark haired woman again as he chewed on his noodles.

" _Hm…she seemed kinda lonely,"_ he hummed thoughtfully, smiling at her shocked and embarrassed reaction when he had first spoke into the speaker device.

Placing his finished plate aside, he pulled out his cell phone and dialed a number, putting the caller on speaker while he set up his station.

A bored voice drawled through his phone, _"What?"_

The blonde snickered, "Where are you? Your break was over five minutes ago, Plagg,"

Another sigh, _"Don't get your panties in a twist kid, Tikki held me up and you know how she gets when she starts talking about her favorite bakery,"_ there was annoyance but also open fondness in his friend's voice.

He chuckled, "Yeah, I know. Okay, I think I can forgive you if you clean up your mess of stinky cheese here, you know I can't allow any food in the computer room,"

Plagg yawned, _"Yeah, yeah, I know, I know. I'll be over in five minutes. Hey Adrien, get me some of my camembert ready,"_ with that, the call ended.

Adrien sighed and pocketed his phone again, grimacing at the pungent smell of the camembert cheese in the room as he walked over to his bag and fished out a small package of the stinking monstrosity and placing it on his partner's side of the compute r room, before returning to his own seat at the right.

He still couldn't get that woman out of his mind, especially the way she looked at him, or rather the cat, right before she left the restaurant.

Well…at least she had liked his puns.

 **This will be a two, maybe three shot, maybe potential mini-story, depending on how much you guys like it! Feel free to review! Thanks! :)**


	21. To Flirt or not to Flirt?

**A/N:** Wow…(amazed) I'm pleasantly surprised and incredibly touched/delighted that so many people liked " ** _Dinner for Two"_** ^_^ Thank you to everyone who bothered to review and PM me! I really appreciated the honest opinions! :3 And I have good news too!

* * *

 **-2 NEW STORIES:-**

 ** _"_** ** _Fangs Bared, Claws Out!" –_** will be released sometime in February or March (maybe 15.3. or later)

 ** _"_** ** _Dinner for Two" –_** will be released on the 15th of February

Now, I don't really have any plans concerning their length yet, since they're pretty new and it really depends on how my lovely readers receive the chapters! :) BUT for now, they're planned as mini-stories. Since I have long-running stories currently in progress (…far too much T_T)

* * *

 **ANSWERS TO REVIEWS:**

 **ElDiabloTacoTheMarichatShipper** : (slow clap) Clawsome pun my friend :3 Chat Noir approves ;)

 **YoitsuNoHoro:** (bows) haha thank you so much for the compliments, what more could a girl ask for? :D And yes, I definitely have plans starting up Fangs Bared, Claws Out as a story :D

 **SlempreMianhae:** (wipes tear away discreetly) Ahem, (clears throat) Thanks so much for the compliment! I seriously hope it's as cute as everyone says, I'm blushing here! (fans self) ^^

 **SylverIscariot:** T_T And _I_ whooped when I read your review! :3 I sure hope the second part will be as enjoyable as the first! ;)

 **Luschka:** Ohhh….interesting idea…(rubs chin) Hmm…inside the stuffed cat toy…do I smell a new one shot? (smirks) haha Nah, I think I would have too meowch fun writing that and that's always a bad sign :P Aw, really? Me too! Marichat captured my heart completely! Ah, but Adrientte and LadyNoir come right after :)

 **Prompt: Chat Noir uses anima and video games for his flirting, but he hasn't tried any of them on Marinette yet has he?**

 **Rated: K+**

* * *

 **To Flirt or not to Flirt?**

"…What are you doing?" Marinette drew back, face scrunched up in confusion and a tick of nervousness when the leather clad hero took another step toward her, far too close for comfort.

He suddenly grasped her shoulders lightly and she felt the weight and heat of his hands far too clearly through the material of her jacket, his face drew closer, their noses almost touching, his voice was low when he spoke, his hot breath hitting her lips, "How are you?"

She blinked, frozen stiff. Too shocked to move and physically knock some sense into him or at least use her squirt bottle, so instead, her slow brain commanded her to ask this, "…What?"

Chat Noir remained undeterred, still the close proximity, still his warm hands on her, "How are you, princess?" he gazed at her long and hard, eyes far too intense it was making her stomach flip.

"Um….fine?" she squeaked when he leaned back and narrowed his eyes.

"…Are you _sure_?"

"Chat Noir, what are-"

" _Ugh_ , it didn't work!" and as suddenly as he had been in her personal space, his hands dropped their hold on her shoulders and his body heat went away and Marinette took a moment to collect her thoughts.

 _What?_

She watched the blond boy pace back and forth, gesticulating with his hands, "Those stupid mangas gave me false information! They said it was supposed to work!" he stomped his foot like an angry child and Marinette had to blink slowly

Very slowly.

"…Mangas?" wait…she knew for a fact he used mangas and animes for his flirting. During an unfortunate event where Ladybug ran straight into his kwami, Plagg as she came to know, while dangerously close to Chat Noir's hiding spot, the little cat god had told her how he was a hopeless romantic and to please adopt him as a pet whenever it was convenient for her.

Marinette snickered, "Oh kitty, don't tell me you tried to flirt just now. That creeped me out more than made me react the way I think you wanted to," she giggled again at his pout.

He sighed, shoulders slumping, "Really? But it looked so cool when the protagonist did it to his girlfriend!" he groaned.

Marinette prayed that the heat in her cheeks was only in her head and not actually visible on her face, "Well, _maybe_ because she was his girlfriend?" Marinette shook her head, crossing her arms.

And suddenly, just like that, a light bulb switched on in Chat Noir's head and Marinette's nerves skyrocketed when the devious cat approached her again.

 _Too close!_

Chat smirked, staring her down, he rested one hand against the brick wall behind her, smirk widening as he stared at her intensely, "What's wrong, _purrincess_?" she had no idea how deep his voice could get, he chuckled and the sound sent a shiver down her spine, " _Chat_ got your tongue?" he grinned roguishly and this time she was sure he could see the redness in her cheeks.

She grabbed the squirt bottle and promptly bombarded him with the damned liquid, the boy hissing and flailing like a real cat as he stumbled down the roof.

Marinette breathed deeply, sighing heavily.

"That… _dork!_ " she rolled her eyes, ignoring Tikki's amused giggles.

Meanwhile, Chat was hanging off the edge of the roof by his tail, small notebook already in hand as he started scribbling, "Let's see…gazing into each-others eyes… _no_ ," he crossed that out multiple times.

He smirked as he ticked off another flirting attempt, "Getting close and making a pun… _check!_ " he grinned in glee, "I knew shoujos wouldn't let me down!"

* * *

Marinette couldn't believe what the wicked cat planned this time.

"Chat…"

"Trust me princess, come on," he grinned and Marinette felt her resolve breaking.

"…But this isn't a _movie_ ,"

Chat shrugged, "It's working, isn't it?" he wiggled his eyebrows suggestively and Marinette wished she could slug him.

"No,"

"I can see your nose getting longer every day, princess," he chided playfully, grinning at her exasperated expression.

"Well, then…may I escort the beautiful lady to a scoop of delectable ice-cream by the parlor?" he held his hand out, kitty eyes in full effect as he smiled up at her, staff in one hand.

Marinette stood there for a while, trying to ignore the pleading gaze in her partners eyes.

She was _weak_.

With an overdramatic flourish, Marinette placed one hand in Chat Noir's and rested the other against her forehead, " _Oh_ , how could I _possibly_ refuse one of the _coolest_ superheroes _ever_? That's amazing that Chat Noir asks me out!"

She secretly stuck her tongue out at him when he wasn't looking as he propelled them toward their destination as she held onto him securely.

His grip around her waist tightened and a small smile played on his lips.

Marinette sighed.

No matter how annoying her kitty could get with his puns and knack for dramatics, she could rarely ever say no to him.

Stupid flirting and all.

* * *

Chat Noir slid up right against the lamppost, one hand curling around the metal above him while he grinned sexily at the what he thought to be awestruck girl before him, "Well, little lady, like what you see?" the words rolled of his tongue effortlessly, muscles flexing enticingly beneath his skin tight suit, as if he did this every damn day, that stupid cat.

Marinette's eye twitched, "Chat Noir…kitty…what… _what are you doing_?"

The devil chuckled, slinking gracefully onto the other side of the pole and wrapping tail and leg around it, sexy smirk firmly in place, eyes glinting mischievously, "Oh _mon cherri…_ what does it look like I'm doing?" he licked his lips, sharp teeth catching the light from the street lamp above him.

Marinette twitched, slamming her palm against her face hard, "…It looks like you're doing this as your profession kitty…" she watched the way he maneuvered himself so easily around the metal, "…Sometimes I wonder about that," she smirked when his bravado fell and he was immediately at her feet, ears drawn back and eyes full blown on kitty mode.

" _Princess!_ My loyalty only lies with you! Cat's honor!" he held his hand to his heart while the other was in the air and Marinette would never admit it out loud, but he looked cute.

She sighed, smiling, "Well…what _were_ you trying to do anyway? New fighting moves?" If he thought of using those techniques on akumas she knew they would have a field day trying to fend off hormonal females and enraged male akumas itching to kill the cat.

He dropped his head in defeat, "…I read somewhere that girls like it when guys know how to dance,"

Marinette crossed her arms, pointedly looking at him, "…Where did you read this?" her gaze narrowed.

"… _Anime romantica…_ " he pouted, "And some romance mangas…"

Marinette sighed, "Kitty, please don't do that in front of anyone else,"

Chat's ears perked up curiously, "Why?"

On the outside Marinette's answer seemed professional enough, "So, mothers won't call the police on you and worry about their daughters," she steered him away from the street, toward the bakery for another night of playing games and watching movies.

It was an entirely different matter in her head, " _So, that not the whole of Paris has to see how good that suit looks on you,"_

Marinette swallowed thickly, trying to go through baking recipes and rid herself of the steamy image of Chat Noir pole dancing.

* * *

"You've _cat_ to be _kitten_ me,"

"That was so _pawsome purrincess_ ,"

" _Purrsonally,_ your designs are the most _purrfect_ ones I've seen!"

"Tell me, princess, does it sound _corny_ when I say you're _amaizeing_?"

"You _bake_ me crazy, Mari,"

"I-"

 _"_ _Stop._ " Marinette held her hand pressed lightly against Chat's mouth, effectively shutting the boy up.

She sighed in relief and his ears drooped, disappointment and sadness in his eyes. The muffin he had baked for her, the twentieth try if he remembered correctly, rested on her work desk, decorated with a cute cat head and paw print on top. It seemed his terrible cooking skills wouldn't win her affections either.

When he was about to turn around and leave, Marinette surprised him by yanking on his arm, her smile warm and bright, "Where are you going kitty? Didn't you want to beat me at Super Mario and explain why I _bake you crazy_ , chaton?" she smirked mischievously, and Chat's expression softened, a fond smile on his lips.

He chuckled, kissing her forehead affectionately and grinning when she blushed, "So, all this time it took a few puns to affect you?"

Marinette shook her head, smiling, "No, kitty. All it took was to see how much you cared, Chat," she kissed his cheek in return and a familiar warmth blossomed in her chest.

Chat felt happy, purring as he nuzzled her, "I always did, princess,"

She smiled, running her fingers gently through his messy hair, "I know, kitty,"

He swore he was the luckiest cat in the world when she told him he needed to open his own business, because the muffin he made for her tasted _pawsitively purrfect_.

 **Short but Marichat! ^^ Any prompts/ideas dear readers? :) Next up is Part 2 to "Dinner for Two"! Will be released tomorrow (Friday)!**


	22. Dinner for Two Part 2

**Dinner for Two Part 2**

"Alya! I'm telling you! It was _staring_ at me!" Marinette groaned, running a hand down her face in frustration.

Her phone was next to her head, Alya put on speaker, " _Girl, are you for real? We're still talking about a stuffed toy, right?"_

Marinette sighed, falling back on her bed, " _Yes_ …and it _talked_ ," she quickly explained before Alya could officially brand her as insane, "It had a device in it that repeated certain words or sentences when it's spoken to, I mean." She sighed, staring at her wall.

A sigh, " _But the food there is great, right? Did I promise too much? Of course not! No offense to your newfound affection for cats girl, but I would appreciate it if you would make goo goo eyes at a real man than some old, fat and ugly guy probably stuck in some cramped space doing all these recordings for those stuffed animals,"_ she could practically feel Alya cringe at the idea and Marinette had to cringe too.

Well… _that_ sounded awful.

"It had soft ears…" Marinette couldn't keep the large grin from spreading on her face.

" _MARINETTE!"_ Alya's enraged shout caused Marinette to erupt into giggles on her bed, holding her stomach as her friend fumed, " _Ugh! You're impossible!"_

Once she finally recovered from her giggle fit, Marinette grabbed her phone and drew it closer to her face, "Sorry, I couldn't resist." She smiled, "Anyway, how's Nino doing? He said something about becoming a new prodigy DJ?" she rose an eyebrow in amusement, giggling when Alya gave an amused snort.

" _Well, you know how he is… From what I noticed in the media and on my blog, Nino's a hot topic right now so maybe the idea of a 'prodigy' DJ isn't too farfetched…"_ she giggled teasingly, " _Of course, if his famous blogger girlfriend helps him get a few more followers,"_ Alya laughed and Marinette giggled, shaking her head.

She knew Alya would, she was always the most supporting friend Marinette could possibly wish for. Unfortunately, Alya, bless her soul, coud… _overdo_ sometimes…

" _So, did Nathaniel call again? I'm assuming he keeps stumbling over his own tongue before he asked you out, right?"_ a flood of panic suddenly seized Marinette like a vice and she shot up in bed.

" _Alya_! I forgot to call Nath and cancel!" her fingers were flying over the screen before Alya had time to reply, momentarily ending her call with Alya to quickly ring up Nathaniel.

Nathaniel and her had designed the latest fashion line in time for the annual fashion shoot, but they were supposed to have a business-esque meeting today to discuss the final details.

The worst thing was, Nathaniel had falsely misinterpreted it as a 'date' and Marinette was at a loss of how to gently reject him without ruining their good friendship and partnership.

"Alright, you can do this, you can do this, you caaaa-H-Haaai! Nathaniel, hi!" she squeaked, nearly falling out of her own bed at the male voice suddenly speaking to her.

" _H-hi Marinette! How are you? How comes you're c-calling?"_ his stuttering had improved in spades since their partnership began two years ago, but it would still come back with a vengeance whenever she surprised or startled him.

She took a deep breath, fingers clenching the material of her bedsheets tightly, "I'm fine! Um, how are you doing?" she felt herself sweat. Why did this have to be so difficult?

Nathaniel, ever the poor oblivious man, was none the wiser, " _Good, good. I,uh, I just finished up on some new sketches for the final drafts. You can take a look over them once we meet up today for our date-"_

"That's the thing!" she laughed nervously, nails digging deeply into the softness of her bed, "Would…would it be possible to…reschedule?" she shut her eyes tightly closed, heart beating a hundred miles per minute, already dreading the crestfallen look on her friend's face.

There was a short pause and Marinette almost thought he hung up on her until his voice came out softly, " _…Did something come up? Are you alright? You're not ill, are you?"_

Marinette's heart melted at the genuine concern she heard in his voice and ignored the deep sting of guilt that stabbed her, "Yes, I…I'm fine it's just- I really have to help my parents with the bakery and it's impossible for me to make it on time today!"

She felt the deep blush of shame cover her entire face and Marinette had to ground herself not to tell him the truth. Nathaniel's voice sounded sad but understanding, " _Oh, I see. Um, would…would next week on Tuesday be okay for you?"_

She was thankful he couldn't see her, see the guilt in her eyes and her tight lipped smile, "Yes, Tuesday would be perfect. Thank you so much for understanding Nathaniel,"

Her hand gripped the phone tighter, " _No problem Marinette, good luck! A-and good night!"_ she giggled, returning the sentiment before hanging up and falling back on her bed.

Her arm covered her face and she groaned, "I'm a horrible person…"

Her stomach grumbled.

She forgot to go grocery shopping today…

* * *

"Good evening, is there still a table available?" Marinette smiled, recognizing the waiter from her last visit here.

The elder male smiled politely at her and beckoned towards the same table she had first occupied, "This way madame,"

Marinette smiled and sat down, nodding her head in gratitude when the waiter handed her the menu.

She skimmed through the meals, one after the other, trying to decide what she should eat.

A shiver ran up her spine and she could have sworn she was being watched.

Whipping her head around suspiciously, Marinette couldn't find anything amiss, until she spotted a large black stuffed toy, sitting on the opposite side of a blond, attractive woman.

She couldn't explain why, it was utterly ridiculous, but she felt a small sense of relief flood her when she realized it wasn't a cat but a large panda.

" _Mon dieu!"_ Marinette buried her face against the propped up menu in front of her.

"Bless you mademoiselle," she jumped when the waiter from before was standing before her and her eyes nearly popped out of her head when she noticed-

"Kitty?"

The waiter moved his gaze toward the toy, then back at her, "Oui, does the lady request for a different one?" he arched an eyebrow and Marinette paused.

…Nobody ever asked her if she wished for another toy since her kindergarten days, hearing it now coming from an adult, while _she_ was an adult, felt very surreal. She wasn't sure how to phrase her answer at all, "Um…i-it's alright…thank you," she squeaked out the last part, wanting nothing more than the ground to swallow her up.

Marinette made her order and blushed when the waiter smiled and adjusted the cat toy in its seat, almost as if it were a real human before walking away.

She stared at the toy for a moment, before groaning and burying her face in her hands, her voice quiet as she whispered into her palms, "Why me…"

" _Good evening, m'lady!"_

She jumped, hands frozen in position above her head as if preforming a martial art move she had no knowledge of, before she quickly lowered her arms and glancing around the restaurant to make sure nobody saw her embarrassing stunt.

She cleared her throat, "Um…good…evening?"

She was ridiculous.

She needed _help_.

Alya was _right_.

Not having a date in a year resulted in her losing touch with reality and reduced her to talking to a stuffed toy!

She sighed, eyes widening slightly when the cat talked again, the slightly distorted voice sounding like a young man's, " _Hello, little lady! I'm Chat Noir!"_

Chat Noir?

She laughed. Actually laughed.

Shaking her head and taking discreet glances around to make sure nobody was watching her, Marinette quietly whispered back to the toy, "Chat Noir, huh? Well, that sure is a surprise," she giggled, highly amused at herself for talking to inanimate objects.

" _Nice to meat you!"_ she giggled at the pun before freezing up.

Wait…

How did this thing know she had ordered something with meat? Or had the pun been purely coincidental?

Shaking her head to dispel her suspicions, she leaned back against the cushion-like surface of her chair, sighing, "Nice to meet you too, kitty." Her eyes twinkled in amusement and she leaned her elbows against the table, resting her chin on top of her joined hands, "Well, you're a cute cat I'll give you that," she laughed at her own joke but the cat remained quiet and Marinette tilted her head to the side.

The cat suddenly mewled, " _Meow!"_

She smiled, shaking her head.

She knew what she was about to do was ridiculous, she knew talking to a stuffed cat toy about her daily problems was a very good way to get herself a one-way ticket to the clinic, but she had to vent. If not to Alya, then to a noncommittal, inanimate toy.

Marinette took a deep breath, "You know…no, what am I talking about you probably don't have these problems, being…well a _toy_ but… _ugh_!" she ran her hands through her hair in exasperation, before hiding her face behind her propped hands again, "I…kind of blew off a coworker and great friend today…he's really nice, the sweetest person on earth but…" she sighed, exhaustion finally making it's way onto her face, "I…just don't like him that way. The problem is he liked me since we attended college together and I'm confused and guilty because I lied about having to help my parents in the bakery instead of going through our business date today,"

Her shoulders slumped in defeat, guilt etched clearly onto her pretty face, "I…just got scared, turned tail and ran really," she chuckled dryly, "I'm not the type to deceive him and I would only hurt him more by leading him on. I don't understand what he likes about me but…it makes me sad to think that I would have to be the one to break his heart where I am the master of one sided love," she laughed, the sound hollow.

The cat remained quiet for a while and Marinette stared at its sleek dark fur, as if it was being washed regularly and taken care of by the staff here. She never even knew restaurants could offer such service, it seemed so personal.

While it was only a stuffed toy, to a lonely person or simply someone having a bad day it could mean the whole world, not having to stare at a wall while eating, but instead looking at a really cute animal with big eyes and round ears.

The little paw prints were bright green and she wondered idly if the toy was new, the color bound to dull at some point, right?

She finally settled on looking into it's big green eyes and she felt her heart lung in her throat at the odd sensation that they looked almost… _human_. They still looked artificial, like on any other toy, but she couldn't decided why this particular one made her feel so weird.

" _Purrety lady!"_

Marinette was so caught off guard by the unexpected compliment that she didn't know what to say for several minutes, before she barely stifled another giggle behind her hand, "Well, aren't you a charmer?" her expression softened and she felt the sudden urge to touch its ears again. "I bet you took out many girls to dinner before, hm?" she giggled quietly, covering her mouth.

The toy remained quiet for a few seconds before it responded, " _I once asked a teddy bear to dinner, but he said 'No thanks, I'm already stuffed,'"_

Marinette, despite the ridiculously overused pun, found herself laughing out loud, hand half covering her mouth and just before she calmed down, she heard a short but rich laugh coming from the cat and tensed.

Wait…

" _I thought Alya was joking when she said there was a real person talking through this thing! I thought they had recordings for that!"_ her eyes widened in panic suddenly.

Was she talking to a real person through the stuffed toy? It's responses were far too accurate to appear random and something out of the blue, something recorded and scripted. Oh god, what if the guy was far too old and he was leering at her from some dark, creepy corner or room?

Suddenly nervous, Marinette straightened her back, "You…" she swallowed nervously, adjusting her collar, "You're not…real right? Like…a _real person_?"

She blinked, staring imploringly at the toy.

She felt foolish. What if people observed her from the sidelines and thought she was some crazy cat woman that talked to toys? What if they thought she was a lunatic and would call the police o n her? What if she was making herself crazy for _nothing_ -

" _Well, purrincess-"_

"Your order, mademoiselle," the waiter from before came back and set her full plate, spaghetti Bolognese, in front of her along with her water making Marinette jump slightly in surprise, " _Bon apettit!"_

Marinette smiled, stomach growling at the prospect of food, " _Merci_ ," she smiled brightly at the man and he left with a small, secretive smile and she could have sworn it was directed at the cat.

Burying down her suspicions in the meantime, she started quickly but politely eating her food, ignoring the stare from the stupid cat.

The silence stretched during the duration of her finishing up her plate, when Marinette thought of Nathaniel.

Her eyes moved to her phone, biting her bottom lip nervously. Should she call? Should she apologize and tell him the truth? Would he hate her for it? What would she do about the fashion shoot if he refuses to work with her?

So many questions, along with the stressful schedules of the previous week swam through her mind and Marinette felt the sting in her eyes before she could stop it.

Quickly wiping away any stray tears before other patrons noticed, Marinette reached for her phone, finger sliding across the display and looking at the time.

 _8:30pm_

Great. She was crying in a restaurant at 8:30pm with obviously nothing better to do.

She knew she did wrong, she knew Nathaniel wasn't to blame for his affections, but she seriously asked herself how she could lie to him where he was so honest and kind to her.

Marinette half heartedly poked at the small meatball still left on her plate, a deep frown etched onto her face as she tried to will away the onslaught of tears.

* * *

Adrien watched the woman before him break down into tears.

Well, she didn't exactly break down, more like discreetly rubbing away at the liquid before any other patrons or staff could notice.

He frowned deeply.

What should he do? What could he do? He wasn't allowed to leave the room until all the guests left the restaurant and it was closing time, but he _had_ to do _something_.

This woman was so genuinely kind and funny and curious, she seemed like a nice person, so what could possibly cause her such grief?

She had looked at her phone and Adrien's first thought was a boyfriend, or possible ex but he shook his head. She didn't seem like the type to cry over guys, at least he thought so.

She did mention her coworker but…as far as his people skills helped him in this, he deduced it was a one sided love on his part and she had no real interest in him aside from friendship.

She wiped away more tears and Adrien's heart broke for her.

The moment her eyes opened and he found himself staring at the sad, blue eyes through the camera of the toy, Adrien made a mad split second decision.

It was crazy.

It was forbidden.

Restaurant policies had him in a bind, but it went against his code to just _ignore_ crying people. Stuffed toy or not.

With that, Adrien turned on his microphone.

* * *

Marinette wiped away the last remains of her tears quickly, stuffing the tissue in her jeans pocket until the familiar voice of her table companion broke the silence, " _Don't cry princess, your beautiful eyes don't deserve to shed those tears,"_

Her body froze but her brain was working into overdrive.

The cat had just complimented her.

The cat just tried to comfort her.

It was weird, she thought she might really be going insane, but the words that left the cat, real or not, were so cheesy, so _corny_ that she couldn't help but smile and giggle quietly.

She sniffed, blinking back tears, " _There you go, a smile befits a princess more,"_

She released a short laugh and cautiously looked at the toy, "I'm…not going crazy am I? I mean…you were talking to me…right?" she smiled a small smile, at this point, she didn't even care if it was all in her head.

It felt nice talking to someone other than Alya or Nino.

The cat released an odd sound which sounded suspiciously like a purr, " _No, you're not, I apurre you, m'lady,"_

Marinette rose an eyebrow, _my lady?_

Her eyes suddenly flew open when realization hit her like a truck and she was forcibly thrust out of her sadness, "W-wait…you…you _talk_! I mean…you're _talking to me_?" she blinked rapidly, feeling stumped.

The cat remained quiet and the silence oddly made Marinette giddy, as if it wasn't already bad enough that she engaged in conversation with an object, she was actually curious to what the toy would _respond_ , if it could anyway.

Perhaps Alya had set this up-

" _Well, purrincess,"_ the cat, no, the _person_ , began speaking, " _It looks like the cat is out of the bag,"_

Marinette's eyes narrowed slightly, "…Wait, so…you mean you're a real person? I'm not talking to a computer?" she sighed in relief, "Well, at least I know I'm not going crazy just yet,"

There was a chuckle and Marinette smiled, " _I'm as real as you are princess,"_ his voice, even altered by a computer, softened, " _Sorry for saying the same things at the beginning all the time, I kinda have a script I have to follow,"_

The realization that she was talking to a real human being made her hyperaware of every word that left the stuffed toy, but she couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at the person's words, "Did that script also tell you to comfort whiny customers during their emotional breakdowns?" she propped her chin on her hand, a small smile on her lips.

She should feel mortified to know a stranger had watched her cry, but in this situation, maybe because she was looking at a cute, large cat toy, she oddly felt…peaceful.

The voice turned serious, lacking it's usual humorous tone, " _You're not whiny, my lady and no, that bit was purely improvised,"_ she smiled and chuckled at the cat puns.

"…What's…what's your name?" she smiled but felt a bit foolish for asking, since to other people, she still was talking to a toy and essentially herself.

There was a short pause before the voice sounded, " _Call me…Chat Noir,"_

The dark haired woman rose an eyebrow curiously, slightly amused, "Chat Noir? Really?" she smirked, leaning back and crossing her arms.

Another chuckle, " _Hey, you're talking to a stuffed animal I think it's fair,"_

She shook her head in amusement and then, "And your real name, monsieur?" she couldn't help but giggle at the soft snort that escaped the cat.

" _Well, other than asking you to stop calling me 'monsieur' since I'm not that old. My real name must remain confidential. Sorry princess, restaurant policies and all,"_ he sounded genuinely apologetic and Marinette didn't feel offended.

She nodded affirmatively, hoping the man behind the cat saw it, "I see…well then _Chat Noir_ I guess I'll see you tomorrow?" her smile was hopeful if not a little timid. She had no idea who the man behind the toy was, nor did she know how old he was, but he seemed nice. Feeling oddly playful, she stood up, bag in one hand and reached for the paw with the other, shaking it gently in a mock hand shake.

The male chuckle came again and it sent a small shiver down Marinette's spine, one she hoped was purely coincidental, " _Sounds good princess, I'll be there,"_ the humorous, teasing tilt was back.

Marinette smiled brightly, feeling good for the first time today, "Good night, kitty. Bye," she waved and even though he couldn't wave back, she still left the restaurant with a beaming smile on her lips, ignoring the questioning looks on the customers faces.

She had a hot date with a cat to look forward to after all.

* * *

Adrien was practically vibrating in his seat, placing his headset down and whirling around on his chair multiple times, until the door suddenly opened.

"I knew you would get crazy in here one day," Plagg shuffled his way in, his lanky form settling on the opposite side of the room, precious cheese already in hand as he watched the oddly giddy man.

Adrien straightened in his seat, emerald eyes sparkling, "Plagg! I think I just made a friend!"

"Oh boy,"

"It's great! I was finally able to _talk_ to her without her freaking out…much and knowing who I was!" Adrien slumped back in his chair, sighing heavily in relief.

Plagg watched him suspiciously, "So…you told her you were the one talking through the cat?" he tilted his head to the side, his green eyes even more vibrant than Adrien's own.

The blond nodded rapidly, grinning from ear to ear, "Yes! And I even comforted her when she was sad! I think she liked it! Plagg, do you know what this means?"

The man deadpanned, "Therapy?"

Adrien rolled his eyes, "No! That means whenever she comes here I can talk to her freely! Without sticking to a script!" he laughed.

Plagg's expression softened for but a moment until he schooled it into his usual disinterested look, "Uh-huh…what about the other customers? Don't tell me you plan on revealing yourself to them too?" his gaze narrowed warningly.

Adrien held his hand up, "No, don't worry. It…it was just different with that woman I guess. I just felt so sorry for her and I really wanted to help her so…yeah," he scratched the back of his neck timidly, "I think she didn't mind…I mean at least now she doesn't think she's crazy anymore," he chuckled.

"And she didn't freak out one bit when you told her you were a internationally famous model?" Plagg arched a brow skeptically, boring holes into his friend.

Adrien paused, fingers drumming against his leg, "Um…I didn't tell her that." He grinned sheepishly, "I uh, I told her a false…name so to say,"

Plagg crossed his arms, "Alright, spill, what grandiose name did you make up? I swear, if it's one of those stupid fantasy names you get from those video games of yours I'll-"

Adrien waved his hand dismissively, "No, no, no! Nothing like that I promise," he paused briefly, a slow grin spreading on his lips, "I told her to call me Chat Noir;"

Plagg snorted loudly, munching on his cheese, "How original,"

Adrien glared, "Hey, that's better than just saying my real name, you know?" his accusatory gaze made Plagg hiss.

"For the record, how many people would believe me if I said my real name _was_ Plagg? Besides, Tikki's the only one who knows," he shrugged nonchalantly.

Adrien frowned, "…I guess you're right," he sighed, rubbing the back of his neck, a small smile spreading over his lips, "You know…maybe this could actually work,"

Plagg tilted his head to the side, akin to a cat, questioningly.

"I think that…" Adrien looked at the video footage again, zooming in on the woman's laugh, "Maybe we both wouldn't feel so lonely anymore after this,"

With Adrien's back turned to him, Plagg's expression softened and he stopped himself in time before he reached over to pat Adrien on the head consolingly.

Plagg shook his head, leaning back against his chair, "Maybe you're right kid," his eyes zeroed in on the woman's laugh and the way Adrien's mouth tilted upwards into a smile, "Maybe you're right,"

And suddenly, Adrien bolted upright, eyes wide in alarm, " _Plagg!_ "

"WHAT?!"

" _I FORGOT TO ASK FOR HER NAME!"_

The dark haired man face palmed.

 **I'm sorry for its short length! I hope it's enough as a Part 2, I may change it once I release the separate story!** What did you think for starters? Anything to change/improve?


	23. First

**A/N: Hello dear readers**! I'm so sorry for not updating! I've been travelling between three countries and I couldn't bring my laptop with me so I had to make due with updating this via my phone! I hope the format stays the same . So...I've thought up of a very,very sad scene for this. Yes,the idea is overused but I just couldn't help it ^^ Hope you enjoy!

 **ANSWERS TO REVIEWS:**

 **Guest** : Thank you so much! :3 Ah, if you don't mind maybe using a username? I''m sorry I just find it impersonal to call you "guest" Thanks for the lovely review!

 **LadyPers** : T_T ...Thank you (sniffles) I seriously didn't think my random idea would be so well-received. I mean...its about a lonely girl eating out in a restaurant with a stuffed toy...I thought I would get laughed at ^^But its awesome that you and everyone else liked it, thanks! :)

 **SiempreMianhae** : (rubs tears away) No, no, no...you're amazing! Argh! I'll never get used to compliments! Thank you so much for the nice compliment :3 I feel purrety appureciated ^^

 **Elenora-00** : (grins) Ah thanks! I had fun writing dorky Adrien spinning on his chair lol :3 hehe

 **JHans01** : Well...all these reviews have me in tears so I guess we're even ^_^ But seriously, thank you very much for reading and reviewing. I'm always winded how my third-rate stories can have an impact on readers (fans self)

 **Prompt: Ladybug had always been first to defeat an akuma and save Paris. But this time, she wasn't meant to be first.**

 **Mix of LadyNoir and Marichat**

 **WARNING: Mentions of death. Minors beware and don't read for those weak of heart!**

* * *

 **First**

Her eyes grew impossibly wide in horror, her battle weary muscles locking down and her heart seemingly stopped beating in her chest.

All she could focus on was the sight before her.

Chat Noir's staff had slammed against the akuma's head, making the dark themed knight dizzy and disorientated.

The large dark sword of the knight, jagged and massive just like its wielder, was deeply imbedded within Chat's abdomen, the tip of the blade sticking out, coated in sickly brugundy liquid.

It made her sick.

Slowly, Chat Noir turned his head to look back at her, eyes slightly glazed over and a small, relieved smile on his bloody lips, did she finally move.

She threw her yoyo at the akuma, effectively wrapping it within the durable string before falling to her knees in time to catch her partner, who had swayed on the spot and collapsed.

The blood, _his_ blood, was warm as it ran between her fingers and she felt like his life seeped like that too, right from between her fingertips.

Frantically,she tried to cast Lucky Charm but she got a magnet instead, not something that could _save_ her kitty.

She threw it away and instead summoned Lucky Charm and cleansed the akuma. It repaired the damage to the city, it cleansed the akuma from the citizen, but her kitty still remained where he was: dying.

She fell to her knees and cupped Chat's face in her hands,"Chat Noir! Kitty! P-please look at me!" Her lips were trembling and even thought she was the one uninjured she felt it hard to breathe.

His eyes,his impossibly green eyes, focused on her and he smiled.

It looked painful.

"Milady..." he winced and coughed, more blood gushing from his lips and Ladybug desperately pressed her hands against his wound to try and still the bleeding.

She knew it was futile. She knew her hands couldn't stop or heal his wound. She knew she couldn't stop him from-

She quickly shook her head, fingers reaching for the earring before a black gloved hand stopped her firmly.

Despite his strength and energy leaving him rapidly, he found the last remaining strength to stop his lady from making a stupid decision, like now, "D-d-don't," Damn, he was finding it hard to speak, "I-I-I'm n-n-not-"

He couldn't speak anymore and instead his shook his head, the action making him spin.

Her eyes, so broken and helpless, hardened and her hands were gently cupping his face with a desperation he hand't experienced from her,"Stupid cat! You are worth it! More than Ladybug will ever be!" She didn't remember when the tears fell from her cheeks but she was sure she must have been crying for longer, because her eyes had started to hurt sooner,"Y-You can-t-you can't just leave me! Who will help me fight akumas?! Who will help me defeat Hawkmoth? We said we'd do it together partner! Who will bombard me with all those impressive puns? Nobody could think of so many puns like you kitty!" She smiled but it was wobbly and teary.

He released what was supposed to be a chuckle, but came out as a shaky cough instead, "Y-you...t-t-t-think m-my puns... are im-mm-impressive?"

Despite the situation she laughed, a nervous broken sound,"S-silly kitty...of course that's the only t-thing you'd hear,"

She closed her eyes when his hand reached out to touch her face and she nuzzled her cheek into it,sighing when he carefully ran his fingers along her cheek, mindful of his claws.

And when he saw the affectionate look on her face he gathered the last ounces of his strength,"Y-you know...P-Paris will be fine w-without me..."he shook his head when she wanted to protest, shakily he continued,"As will you bugaboo. T-take care of my kwami for me...P-Plagg will be a-angry a-and miss his c-cheese." He smiled, expression softening as he gased at her meaningfully,"...The girl behind... the mask, I always... loved her princess," he smiled when her eyes widened in realization.

His hand tightly grasped onto hers and caressed her cheek one more time, before a bright light nearly blinded her. The hand on her cheek fell to the ground like heavy lead and remained motionless, the hand that had been holding hers so tightly slackened.

A black blur zipped past her vision and let out the most broken cries of agony Marinette had ever heard.

"You stupid _fool_! Adrien get up! Come on get up! Tikki will fix everything,she has to know a way! Adrien!" The kwami,his kwami,cried helplessly into his charges chest, "Not more kittens...I can't lose more kittens...not you Adrien..." he curled up on Adrien's chest, sobbing.

She barely registered that in place of her beloved kitty's place,it was Adrien Agreste,laying in a pool of his own blood.

Ladybug quickly turned away to empty the contents of her stomach, body trembling as her emotions assaulted her like a truck.

Adrien...he _was_ Chat Noir after all. He _was_ her kitty after all.

Deep down, she had often thought about the possibility but she never...

She looked back at his body and shakily reached out to touch the shivering,small black ball curled up on his chest.

Plagg reacted on instinct, miniature but sharp claws swiping at her hand and she drew back. She had never experienced a kwami being aggressive, but this was also a situation she never accounted for.

"Don't touch him! He...h-he'll be fine! Tikki could help him! He..." Plagg's ears dropped to his head, claws retracting as he helplessly floated down to Adrien's hand, "He...can't leave..."

Marinette barely registered her transformation releasing, she barely registered the two kwamis bickering and crying and consoling each-other. She didn't even hear Tikki's attempts at comforting her, all her senses were focused on was Adrien, Chat Noir.

 _Dead_.

Died protecting her.

Her hand almost moved robotically up to her face and when she touched her cheek, she realized her tears had never stopped falling.

* * *

She didn't know how,but she had managed to drag herself home, barely.

The police, the media, Gabriel Agreste, _everyone_ were there.

She sobbed, dropping her transformation.

She felt out of place now in her room.

She couldn't wait anymore for any visits from her favorite kitty.

She couldn't wait for one of his cheesy but funny puns.

She couldn't wait for any of his warm smiles or cocky grins anymore.

Robotically, she moved toward her bed until a sheet of white paper caught her eye on her desk.

She made her way towards it,not remembering placing anything on it before.

She froze.

It was a letter.

And as Ladybug,as _Marinette_ , lifted the letter from her desk, she felt the tattered remains of her heart shatter at last.

 _Dear princess/milady,_

 _I know you were usually always first when fighting akumas and saving Paris._

 _But this time, I'm first._

 _Take care._

 _Love,_  
 _CN/AA_

T_T Well, what did you think? I just had to write this, which is most likely a really overused idea anyway but...argh I just had to write it!


	24. Bad Kitty

**A/N:** Alright, so I suck at writing anything lemon-RATED M-related, since I only ever touched the barest surface of it. Well, I tried with this one, I really hope it's not as cringey as I think ^^" Tips on improvement and suggestions are VERY appreciated dear readers! :)

 **ANSWERS TO REVIEWS:**

 **SilvershadowDimensional:** (starts crying too) Thank YOU! . I can't believe people call _me_ awesome lol ^^ But thank you, your review made my day (and I'm sowwy for the tears :3)

 **Prompt: In which Marinette and Chat Noir decide to get a bit more…friendly ;)**

 **Rating: T+ - M (nothing major, suggestive)**

 ** _WARNING_ : Minors beware! Slightly steamy, suggestive scenes! Nothing too intense though!**

* * *

 **Bad Kitty**

She was warm.

Salty.

 _Delicious._

His chuckle was dark when his princess squirmed from under him, her voice breathless and husky, " _C-Chat…_ "

He knew what sort of effect he had on her, because she was affecting him too.

He hissed, and his breath caught in his throat sharply.

More than he cared to admit.

Her hands were nothing if not curious and he felt like one of her designs, explored for any creases and dips, caressed for feeling and smoothness, squeezed for durability and-

 _Oh!_

He threw his head back, a long drawn out groan escaping him as his tail erratically whipped behind him.

He wasn't quite sure she handled her designs like _that._

"You sure got a grip on you, _purrincess_ ," he licked the shell of her ear slowly, knowing it would drive her wild and it did.

She squirmed again, releasing short, quick breaths against his neck and her own hot tongue darted out to lick at the saltiness of his own skin.

"S-Stop teasing me kitty and I'll stop torturing you," her grip tightened pleasurably, and he grit his teeth at the onslaught of euphoric explosions blasting off in his head.

All his blood rushed to one certain spot and he felt light-headed by the musky smell of her, the feeling of her hands and body and lips and the way her eyes were dark with desire and affection.

 _For him_.

Not Nathaniel.

Not Kim.

Not _anyone_.

A feral sense of possessiveness took over him and he lowered his mouth toward her neck again, lips trailing sinful kisses and long licks to the beating pulse at her throat, biting into the creamy texture of her neck and another dark chuckle escaped him at the way she flushed an even brighter red at his ministrations.

" _Princess_ …" he purred approvingly at the way her body melted at his touch and the way she gently stroked his hair and ears, an action that secretly spurred him on, " _Heh,_ keep that up and I can't help myself but _pounce_ on you,"

When she wrapped her athletic legs around his hips and squeezed, he saw stars, her irresistible heat enveloping him in what he dubbed his own personal heaven.

Marinette's voice rang in his ear like a song, soft and melodious and _addictive_ , "And I thought I was already in for a _clawsome_ _purrprise_ ,"

She smirked, watching as the realization creeped in on him.

His eyes darkened even more, "…You…punned…"

His grin widened, a feral spectacle of teeth that made her lightheaded, " _…Twice…"_

Her squeak of surprise dissolved into giggles when the overgrown, overly affectionate cat nuzzled into her neck and prepped kisses all over her face.

"Silly kitty," she giggled, grabbing his face and pulling him in a for a long kiss.

He hummed, hands gently kneading her waist.

When they broke apart, his gaze was the warmest pair of green Marinette had ever seen, "I love you, Marinette," he purred, nuzzling into her cheek affectionately.

She sighed blissfully, scratching his chin and placing a loving kiss on his cheek, "I love you too Chat," she smiled.

And suddenly, she found her arms pinned above her head.

His cocky grin made the weird sensations in her stomach erupt again.

But then, she smirked, wrapping her legs around his hips again, enjoying seeing the open expression of bliss on his face before she used her strength and flipped them over effectively, pinning her mildly surprised kitten to the bed.

This time, she grinned like the cat that got the canary as she pulled down the bell, showing bare skin beneath the tight leather of his suit, "Sorry chaton but this time, _I'm_ on top," she grinned as she lifted her shirt over her head.

She winked.

He swooned.

 **Thoughts? (embarrassed grin) Thanks for reading! :3**


	25. Kill me Twice

**A/N: Hello everyone!** Ugh, I'm beat after work, but I hope this turned out better than I think :3 How was your week? :) BTW: This was uploaded from my phone, since the site won't let me post from my laptop for some reason :/ Whoops! Didn't do a disclaimer in a while!

 _ **Disclaimer: I don't own Miraculous Ladybug or any of its characters!**_

* * *

 **DINNER FOR TWO:** Ahem…I miscalculated the date and thought that the 15th was a Friday…I deeply _apawlagize_ for the inconvenience but despite Chapter 3 already finished, I can't seem to post it. Maybe it's or maybe it's my own laptop, I'll see if I can upload it tomorrow. I'm very sorry for the inconvenience! I don't have the story on my phone so I can't upload it from my phone like this one! :(

 **ANSWERS TO REVIEWS:**

 **YoitsuNoHoro:** …T_T I'M BAWLING MY EYES OUT HERE! Thank you so, so much for the wonderful praise! I've had a crappy week full of work, so getting a review brought my spirits up! :3 Heh, well like I said I suck at writing lemons of any kind, not that I really tried, so I'm not sure if I'll write something like that again. Maybe I will since this _is_ a _sinful_ ship (at least concerning fanon Marichat lol). :)

* * *

 **Kill me Twice**

He considered the possibility.

It was absurd.

It was physically impossible.

But it was very _real_ when the threat left her lips.

And he didn't doubt she would make it a reality, no matter the biological and physical hindrances.

She _would_ kill him twice.

Or at least _attempt_ it.

He knew once her wrath was invoked, there could be no place in the world to hide in where she wouldn't let any stone unturned.

It was a threat.

It was impossible.

But she managed it anyway.

She had indeed killed him twice.

The first time was when she said, " _I'm sorry, I love someone else,"_

The second time had been through his own doing. He had moved and she remained unharmed, as it should be, as it _always_ had to be with him nearby.

And as she looked at him with the most heartbroken expression in her eyes, he felt himself chuckling.

She had killed him twice indeed.

Once, his heart.

Twice, his body.

But she saved him on the third time.

And he had loved her for the fourth.

 **Confusing?** Here's a bit of an explanation… This could be applied to both LadyNoir or Marichat. The first time Ladybug/Marinette "killed" Chat/Adrien was when she told him she loved someone else (killed him inside from heartbreak). The second time, his body had been "killed" for the second time. She had killed him emotionally and physically, thus killing him twice.


	26. Her Feline Knight

**A/N:** So, " ** _Dinner for Two_** " is up now and I plan on releasing " ** _Fangs Bared, Claws Out"_** as soon as it's convenient for me ^^ I know I wrote I would publish it still somewhere in February, but I hadn't expected the (seriously surprising) onslaught of requests from readers over my other stories too, so I have my hands full even updating _them_ (cries happily). Haha Well, anyhow I'm happy I'm kept busy, it's a nice chance to back away from RL just a bit :3

Right so, this is actually my own idea and I promise to write up the requests from readers as soon as I can, but this just begged to be written and I couldn't ignore my Marichat voice in my head any longer lol ^^

 **ANSWERS TO REVIEWS:**

 **Marine Wilson:** Thank you! I'm really glad you liked it! :)

 **Prompt: Inspiration from a "Random Headcanon", in which we explore the lives of the past incarnations of Chat Noir and Ladybug and why Chat Noir calls Marinette 'Princess'.**

 **Random Headcanon Source:** ** _Posted by adrienetteislife (originally by: ladyandprincess on Tumblr)_**

* * *

 **Her Feline Knight**

 _Turmoil plagued the lands, the country split by war and internal strife. Among the king's army stood a knight clad in black, leading his first real victory since the end of the war with the neighboring country. Upon his return to the kingdom he served, there waited his princess, the one he had pledged his life and servitude to._

His battle-weary face softened when he saw her, traditionally clad in her robes, but the speed and numbness of het feet betrayed her, displaying more than just the frail damsel of a princess she was portrayed to be.

The strong desire to embrace her burned brightly just beneath his skin, but the eyes of the kind's guards and duty bound him and so he moved to one knee, head hanging low, "Princess,"

The word was so much more than just her title and even surrounded by her parents, the guards and his own men behind him, they both knew he never uttered it as her title, but as an endearment, a private joy they allowed to share between themselves, within the privacy of their own knowledge.

She composed herself, standing before his kneeling form, her eyes were the only thing that betrayed her true affections for the man clad in armor before her, "I have awaited your safe return," she smiled up at him when she gave him permission to stand.

He smiled, for he knew her words to be true, "We have successfully defeated Hawkmoth's army," his relieved gaze suddenly hardened and his face darkened with the images of war, "Unfortunately, we suspect he is readying a far more imposing force," his gaze locked onto the king's and his fellow guards, "Perhaps even greater than our own," his sweat and blood matted blonde hair partly covered his face and eyes and when he turned his gaze back to his princess, her eyes didn't shine with tears like he expected, but with a burning ferocity to end this war.

"We will not let him conquer our lands," her gaze softened then and he knew she was speaking from the heart, like she always did, "And I won't let him harm my people,"

His heart beat against his bruised ribcage like a ferocious beast willing to be released, that was but a small portion of the depth of his love and adoration for her, his princess.

* * *

It was only when the sky bathed their land in darkness that they dared to venture out of castle grounds.

True to his namesake, he clung to the shadows as if he belonged there, moving with the grace of the beast his enemies called him by, with his princess following none too unimpressively behind.

Only within the protective cocoon of the stone walls away from guard's sight did they dare embrace each-other.

"Oh, Chat," his princess sobbed into his shoulder and he hugged her tighter, fearing he would crush her but she only tightened her own embrace around him in response.

His voice was low, partly due to their dangerous situation, partly to his own strong emotions, "Princess…" he took a whiff of her hair, burying his nose against the silky midnight tresses and he could feel how his wounds were healing and her mere presence granted him a peace of mind and a body ready to withstand anything.

They stayed like that for a long time, until he finally dared to reluctantly part, in order to gaze at her worried face. He lowered his head and affectionately nuzzled the tip of her nose with his own and she returned the gesture immediately, the familiar action causing warmth to bloom within her chest.

"My poor knight," her hands found his cheeks, fingers tracing a small cut on his jaw, "Chat, this…I can't allow you to return to battle," her gaze hardened and he knew _this_ fight would be one he wasn't so sure he would win, "Every time you engage in combat, I pray that Ladybug's luck is protecting you but I-" she trembled, "I can't rely on luck to accomplish that. I have to fight too, _chaton_ ,"

She knew what his answer was even before the words left his lips, "Nonsense Ladybug," the name of her alter ego made her feel a bit securer, a bit safer, a bit _stronger_ , " _I_ can't allow you to endanger yourself, as do these people. You have to stay here, protected," his expression softened, green eyes baring his very soul to her, "You're our only hope if I fail,"

He watched with a pained smile how the fire erupted within her, eyes a blazing blue flame, "Ladybug and Chat Noir were always a _team_ , Chat. Perhaps this is the reason why Hawkmoth may gain in power, we should unite forces again and fight him _together_ ," her eyes pleaded, so desperately pleaded, and his heart tightened, "You know I can fight, you know I can help,"

He shook his head, taking off the thick leather gloves tipped with reinforced claws and throwing them to the ground before cupping her face in his hands, calloused fingers rubbing away the stray tears sliding down her cheeks, "Of course, I know, m'lady. But I can't risk it, it's too dangerous," his pupils morphed briefly into slits, the eyes of a feline, until they returned to their original rounder shape, "You have the power to heal, to repair the damage done in the end of the final battle. I am here to use _my_ power to end it, once and for all,"

His hands fell away from her face and he averted his gaze, jaw locked tight, "Even if I were to lose my life in the upcoming battle-"

 _Thunk_

He froze, head slowly turning to look down at his princess, who had a furious gaze about her.

"…Did you just throw a-"

 _Thunk!_

The small pebble bounced harmlessly off the reinforced steel of his armor, landing at his feet.

"Prin-"

 _Pound_

The breath was knocked from him when she launched herself at him, fists colliding against his chest plate, not to inflict damage but to convey her feelings.

And convey her feelings she did.

"You stupid cat! You can't expect me to sit idly by while you risk your life fighting for this country! This is my country as well and I will do anything in my own and Ladybug's power to protect it!" when her eyes met his they were a striking blue and despite their current predicament he found himself trapped by them.

Her hands landed on her hips, "You listen carefully to me! Your kwami must have told you of our predecessors! You must know of Chat Noir's bad luck and the way some of Plagg's charges have ended!" her words were thick with emotion and he found his heart clenching painfully at the memory, "I'm not about to become a Ladybug living her life in sorrow because her kitty died protecting her,"

It was a long time where they just stared at each-other, but Chat finally found the words that had been clogged up in his throat from her outburst, his expression softening as his fingers lovingly touched her face, "And why princess, do you think it better for me to live a life bereft of meaning if something were to happen to you?"

He smiled at her stunned expression, the anger slowly trickling like sand through her fingers, "Despite the past Chat Noirs suffering a not so _purrfect_ ending, there will always be new holders to take their place," he grabbed her hand and held it tightly, voice thick with emotion, "Have you ever questioned their decisions? Why all those previous Chat Noirs decided to sacrifice themselves?"

Ladybug slowly shook her head.

Chat smiled warmly, "It's because a knight needs his princess to protect, but a princess doesn't need a knight where she has other servants," he purred as he placed a longing kiss on the back of her palm, "Because you see princess, no matter in what life my sacrifice be made, I would spend all my nine lives with you if you would have me." He grinned boyishly, strands of his messy hair falling into his green eyes.

Not even a second later, Chat Noir felt a twinge of pain on his head, making him yelp in pain, until he felt his lady envelope him in a tight hug.

He froze, relaxing against her hold and wrapping one arm around her waist while the other gingerly cradled her head close to him. He sighed, angling his face to nuzzle the side of her cheek, " _Purrhaps_ fearing death at your hands is the wiser choice, bug,"

He chuckled when she playfully swatted at his chest, but he caught her hand within his larger one and kissed her knuckles lovingly.

She broke away from him, her eyes glistening with unshed tears and his heart bled.

"Chat…" she sobbed, rubbing away the tears with the sleeve of her gown, "You reckless cat, you stupid, reckless, adorable, lovable kitten," his teasing grin melted into a genuine smile and he rested a hand atop her head.

She looked up at him and he offered her a shaky smile, "Ladybug…" he took a deep breath, "Whatever tomorrow may bring, allow me to…make a promise," his gaze was serious and Ladybug felt warm.

She nodded, "Of course, chaton,"

He smiled, falling down to one knee and taking her hand within his own, keeping his head bowed, "If Chat Noir were to fall in this battle or the next, not even death shall be powerful enough to separate him from his Ladybug, his princess for long," he lifted his head and smiled, "For even if this life shall be taken, I promise you to search for you in my next one, until I found you again,"

She fell to her knees in front of her knight, the soft glow from the moonlight bathing her in an etherial light and he wasn't sure it was possible for her to look more breathtaking than she already did.

Her smile was strong, filled with emotion and her words clear, "Promise me, my knight, to look for me in the next life," she laced her fingers with his and tightened her hold, "For Ladybug is nothing without Chat Noir and their fates shall never be separated again,"

She lifted their joined hands to tenderly kiss his knuckles, rubbing her cheek against it.

Chat brought his free hand behind her head to gently guide her forward, resting his forehead against her own and basking in her presence.

"Princess…" his eyes opened to look at her and he smiled, "I promise to return to you," he lifted his head and lovingly kissed her forehead, closing his eyes to savor the moment.

She clutched at his arms and allowed herself to feel weakness, for Ladybug to feel protected by her partner, to feel… _loved_.

"Why must fate always be so cruel to us?" her question was met with a dry chuckle from her partner and he shook his head.

"Why indeed…" he nuzzled her cheek with a low purr, "A knight and a princess, never meant to be,"

She smiled and laughed, "You're wrong there chaton," she watched his eyebrow lift in surprise, "Ladybug and Chat Noir, are always meant to be, no matter what lives they live,"

Chat smiled in understanding and they held each-other close.

They weren't sure what the future entailed.

If they would make it before dawn.

But even if they didn't, they knew their kingdom had to.

* * *

The battle commenced the following day and their army was victorious.

His feet dragged through the barren dirt, leaving behind blood and grime and he allowed a small portion of his weight to lean on her as they made their way back to their kingdom, beaten and bruised, but alive.

The smile on her face made him forget of his wounds and the way his eyes lighted up made her briefly forget the lives that were lost.

She wasn't sure if the red on her armor was her blood or Tikki's magic, but she knew they had made it out alive.

 _Together._

"And you said I should stay behind,"

Chat Noir's laughter rang richly in her ears and she relished in the sound, " _Apawlagies_ my lady, you manage to _purrprise_ me every time ameow," he grinned when she gently bumped her hip against his.

"If this battle hadn't, you shall be the death of me chaton," she smiled and he chuckled, hope blossoming in his chest.

"Perhaps I was wrong," not detecting a pun, Ladybug turned to look at her knight.

He looked at her and smiled, extending his hand to brush away the blood from her cheek, "Maybe there is a chance for the knight and princess to be together,"

She laughed and adjusted her grip on him as they slowly trekked forward, the soldiers behind their princess and superior oblivious to their shared feelings, "I told you Chat," her eyes shone with promise, "Ladybug and Chat Noir will always find a way to be together,"

And he smiled.

* * *

Marinette smiled as she heard the telltale sound of his boots softly hitting the ground behind her, leaning on her balcony railing and staring out at Paris.

Chat Noir walked to stand beside her, mimicking her stance and resting his forearms against the railing to stare at the city lights, illuminating the buildings and the Eiffel Tower beautifully.

"How comes a princess spends her time alone on her balcony?" Chat's voice reached her ears and Marinette smirked, shaking her head.

"Just thinking really…but how comes you always call me princess, kitty?" she turned to look at him, genuinely curious.

The boy felt himself at a loss for words, scratching the back of his neck awkwardly, "Uh, w-well I, I don't really know…" he shrugged, looking at her from the corner of his eyes with a small smile, "I guess it just felt…natural,"

Marinette and Chat Noir stared at each-other for a few minutes and when Marinette looked away first, Chat allowed a knowing smile to stretch his lips when she wasn't looking.

"Oh," was her simple reply and this time he found curiosity gnawing at him.

"Shall I stop prin-Marinette?" he tilted his head to the side, hoping he wouldn't have to stop using the endearment.

The silence that followed his words only lasted for a short time and Marinette's gaze met his, "No, it's okay kitty," she smiled down at her feet, "I…like it,"

His heart abruptly plummeted to the depths of his stomach and he weakly held his hand to his heart, Marinette giggled, thinking he was making his theatrics again, oblivious to the elated feeling he suddenly felt in his chest.

He didn't understand, and he told her the truth, he had no idea why it felt so natural to call her princess.

It just did.

With that feeling of contentment in mind, they both relaxed, staring out at the city again, Chat Noir's head leaning to the side to gently rest atop Marinette's.

She smiled and scooted closer, nestling her head on his shoulder comfortably.

She blamed the sudden desire for closeness on Tikki, for the fact that in her kwami's words, Ladybug and Chat Noir were always drawn to each-other, suit or not.

But she couldn't shake the feeling of familiarity as she thought the words.

 _Ladybug and Chat Noir will always find a way to be together._

"Tell me, princess, how was your day?"

Marinette smiled.

 **The end for this one shot! Thank you all for reading! :) If anyone has any requests feel free to leave a review or PM me! :3**


	27. My Sin

**ANSWERS TO REVIEWS:**

 **SilvershadowDimensional:** …T_T You're making me cry every time I read your wonderful reviews (in a good way). :') Thanks so much for bothering to review and I feel honored that my one shots get such a reaction ^^ I hope this one won't be too bad either.

 **Prompt: Ladybug was red, so was Marinette now. Chat Noir never wanted to see that colour on them, not like this and certainly not on his hand. It was a sin, another to many, a sin he wasn't sure he could bear.**

 **Rating: T (mentions of death)**

 **Mix of LadyNoir, Marichat.**

 ** _Enjoy!_**

* * *

 **My Sin**

He watched his lady, bathed in red, not because of the color of her suit, but from the wretched liquid staining her civilian clothes.

She lay motionless on the ground.

No moving chest, a signal of her breathing.

No twitching muscles, a signal of her exhaustion from their akuma fight.

No blue eyes he could get lost in, for they were closed. The same blue of his lady, the same blue of his princess' eyes.

He watched the final tendrils of darkness vanish from his clawed hand, the last remaining traits of his Cataclysm leaving.

He never knew what it could do to living beings.

Plagg had warned him about it's destructive power.

He had never used it on people. He never planed to anyway.

But…

She had just… _jumped right in front of him._

 _And he had touched her back._

And now she wasn't moving anymore. His lady, his _princess._

He could say he was a fool for not realizing sooner, but he knew now it was too late.

His muscles were twitching, his heart aching and feeling heavy in his chest.

There was an indescribable emptiness inside of him, something he had last felt when his mother had disappeared.

Robotically, he looked down at his hand.

The black leather of his suit couldn't hide it well enough, despite its best efforts.

The thick, burgundy substance still clung to his fingers.

Blood.

 _Her_ blood.

A wry smile tugged at the corners of his lips and he fell hard to his knees, all feeling gone from him except the hollowness within him.

Like a void.

He watched her, watched her lie there motionlessly.

In some part of his mind, he expected her, his lady, his princess, to get up and smile and tease him, tell him it was all a cruel joke.

The other part of his mind cried and raged and waged a war within himself, clawed at the barest traces of sanity still left within him and shredded it to pieces.

The thought struck his heart like a blade.

 _"That_ is my sin."

His once vibrant green eyes were now dull.

He long since forgot the pain in his hands as his claws dug into his palms deeply, his own blood dripping from his shaking fists.

 _I ran to the devil._

He lifted his head up to look at the sky and saw nothing.

 _He was waiting._

 **…** **.Short and tragically dark. Ugh, I need to start writing happier things . Thoughts?**


	28. My Last Secret

**A/N:** Hi everyone! Thank you for reading my one shots btw, I feel honored! So, I'm reading tons of Miraculous stories to try and improve my own writing, so I may start experimenting with different writing styles, just a heads up! ;) At the same time, I'm working on writing _"Dinner for Two"_ and the opening chapters to " _Fangs Bared, Claws Out"_. :)

 **ANSWERS TO REVIEWS:**

 **Marine Wilson:** (bows) You sir (ma'am) have earned my furr purrspect :D Okay that was lame, but really, good one haha :3 And thanks so much for the sweet compliment :)

 **Prompt: (my own idea) Marinette and Chat Noir had many secrets, but some were worth exposing. Mix of LadyNoir, Marichat!**

 **Rated: K+**

 **NOTE:** Let's pretend (while they still keep their miraculous jewelry) they have supersuits that they put on instead of transforming into them via Tikki and Plagg. :)

 **Enjoy! ;)**

* * *

 **My Last Secret**

Marinette traced the edges of her mask adoringly. Fingers that have known their fair share of long nights working at sewing and getting injured by small needles caressing the tough material that has kept her identity a secret for so long in her time since she stepped up as a protector of Paris.

 _We had many secrets to keep._

Miniature scratches adorned the tough leather of his suit, as dark as the deepest night itself and the color of his destructive power. Despite all the years he was protecting Paris as Chat Noir, his suit almost looked new, despite being beaten, thrown and abused in it far more than he could care to count.

 _Even more to protect._

The corners of his lips tilted up at the sight of the small good luck charm Marinette had given to him, to Adrien. It happened years ago, when they had been young teenagers, but he still kept it, hidden safely within the protection of his suit and he found his bad luck sometimes wasn't as bad as it used to be.

 _None of us thought exposing them was a good idea._

He knew it could never work, they both knew. And yet, after the initial getting-to-know-each-other, he found himself visiting her far more often as Chat than Adrien. There was something about Marinette, something about the way she was herself in front of him, his mask, his alter ego, that put her at ease and made her comfortable enough to trust him. He loved the freedom his mask granted him, but he loved it even more that it granted him those stolen moments he had with her, his Marinette.

 _But we were so, so wrong._

It happened on one of many nights where he visited her routinely after doing his patrol rounds and checking in with Ladybug.

He didn't know if he had been quieter than usual in his approach to her balcony, maybe her guard had been down, maybe something deeper had offered them both the forbidden opportunity, but he knew he was grateful for whatever force had intervened that day.

He had seen the red, black dotted supersuit on her bed and he knew it hadn't been an imitation because of the familiar, telltale marks of battle on the material, of the miniature hexagon-like shapes that was characteristic of their Miraculous suits.

Of the familiar way she handled it, with practiced care and ease.

Of the fact that there was a small, red flying creature in her room and she was talking to it and there was no doubt in his mind that it must have been her kwami, _Ladybug's_ kwami, because his ring suddenly pulsed as if in greeting or excitement and he sensed Plagg's energy.

It was her.

 _Because…the last secret, our final secret, was worth to be exposed._

"Princess?" his ears were low on his head and he took a tentative step forward.

"C-Chat?" her voice was fearful, bluebell eyes wide at being caught.

"It's alright, m'lady," he smiled and she knew everything would be fine with the way he was smiling at her, "I…have a secret too,"

And then, bright green light enveloped her room and would have blinded her had it not been from all the light of her own transformation already making her used to them.

And then before her stood not Chat Noir, her sweet partner and very dear friend, but Adrien.

 _Because our last secret was each-other._

"Chaton?" her steps were small and hesitant, as if she still couldn't believe the boy in the leather get-up she had started falling for and the boy she had so hard tried to forget about, were the same person.

"It's me, bugaboo," he smiled, that sweet, sweet Chat smile and she knew, despite it being an accident, she didn't regret he had found out.

Not one bit.

 _We had many secrets to keep._

 _Even more to protect._

 _Except our last one._

 **Thank you kindly for reading! :)**


	29. Like Dominos

**A/N:** Hey everyone, me again! :) I'm writing the early chapter for **Fangs Bared, Claws Out** as we speak and I already edited a cover photo for it, but I'm having a bit of trouble writing the summary.

* * *

 **What do you guys think which of these is a better summary for "Fangs Bared, Claws Out"?**

 **Summary 1:** One fateful night had changed everything and Marinette was forced to acknowledge Chat Noir's deeper role in her life – not only in her life as Ladybug, the superhero, but also as Marinette, the civilian.

 **Summary 2:** One fateful night made him realize their mortality and how he failed his duty as Paris' superhero to a certain girl he knew. Chat took it upon himself to protect his princess the only way he knew how – as her silent protector, sworn to keep vigilant guard over her for as long as she would have him. Knights weren't supposed to fall for the princesses they protected, but he found himself falling nonetheless.

 **Answers are very appreciated! Thank you!**

* * *

 **Prompt: Chat/Adrien reflects on his relationships with the two girls he was close to with the help of dominos. Mentions of LadyNoir, Ladrien, Adrienette.** Text in _italics_ is Chat Noir speaking to himself (e.x. _We are like dominos…etc.)_

 **Rating: K**

* * *

 **Like Dominos**

 _We are like dominos._

He effortlessly moved around and with her in sync, perfectly covering her unprotected side while she moved to deflect an offensive hit to his blind spot.

The akuma never stood a chance, as always, they were a team after all.

 _I fell for you._

Chat Noir gazed up at her, at the hero that saved the day again, at _his lady._ The one that brightened up his whole day with her beautiful smile, the one that fearlessly defeated each and every akuma threw at them, with and without his help.

 _And you fell for another._

"I'm sorry Chat…there's…this boy I like…" her gaze was sad, so sad and apologetic when she looked up at him and he clutched the rose in his grasp, the small candles around them illuminating and further enhancing her beauty.

He never blamed her for her emotions, how could he? He himself had these strong emotions for a girl he didn't know the identity of.

He looked at her retreating form fondly, but then a memory of not too long ago suddenly appeared to the forefront of his mind and a face to match.

It was Marinette.

It was the moment he had brought her to the secret meeting spot he prepared for Ladybug and saw the look of awe on her face when he lighted up all the candles again.

It were the strange but familiar feelings he had when he looked at her awestruck expression and wished it were his lady's.

 _But then, I realized you weren't the only star in the sky._

It was the moment she had opened up about her own unfortunate luck in love, her unrequited feelings for a boy as they sat close to each-other on her balcony.

It was the moment Marinette, sweet, kind Marinette, looked so sadly up at the moonlight sky and he had the sudden urge to kick whoever that stupid boy was.

For not seeing how amazing Marinette was, how smart and kind and incredibly helpful and self-sacrificing she was. For not realizing how any guy would be the luckiest guy in the world to have her affections.

It was the moment he realized he had started seeing her differently.

 _And suddenly, someone fell for me._

Marinette laughed with him when he told one of his puns again, this time it was a baking pun and Chat smiled when she surprised him with her own baking puns.

It was the moment of realization when she gifted him a self-made box of the sweetest chocolate he ever had the luck of trying on Valentine's Day, the day of love and couples and returned feelings.

It was the moment the corners of her lips tilted up in a bright, happy smile when he happily accepted her gift and surprised her with a gift of his own and he realized he really liked seeing her smile and blush and the image of his lady was suddenly replaced by his princess.

 _And I found myself falling for another._

 _Just like dominos._

 **Please read the Author's Note at the beginning of the chapter, thanks! :3**

 **ANSWERS TO REVIEWS:**

 **MidnightKitty13 (Guest):** Thank you so much! :3 Your review made my heart melt! :)


	30. Glad it was You

**A/N:** Hey everyone! Back with another chapter, I hope it turned out okay, I've been a bit scatterbrained lately ^_^"

 **Prompts are welcome!**

 **ANSWERS TO REVIEWS:**

 **Kzee126:** Thanks for answering the question (and for the review! :3) You're right about the summary, I re-read it again and decided I could maybe combine both of them somewhat.

 **Darkdan-sama:** Thanks for answering the question! :) Yeah, I re-read the summaries again and you're right about that! Thanks! :D

 **Misheru Haruno:** Thank you, I hope you enjoy the others too :)

 **Fran the Ravenclaw:** (pupils dilate) …. _I sense a new one shot! :D_ haha But really…I just got a good idea for an alternate ending to that… I like your thoughts my friend! Haha :3

 **Prompt: Expected reveal and add a bit of Alya/Nino too please! (requested from Clawmaster per mail)**

 **Rated: K**

* * *

 **Glad it was You**

 _I want the part of you that you refuse to give to anyone. Refuse anyone to see._

Marinette watched the way his cat ears dropped sadly on his head and she wordlessly placed her hand on top of his hand and squeezed gently, trying to tell him she was there for him.

A small smile formed on his lips, one unseen by her and he turned his hand to engulf hers completely in the warm leather of his suit, squeezing back, silently thanking her.

She watched the remainder of his tears as they were wiped away by the back of his hand, she slowly saw his ears perking upright on his head, his tail swishing gently from side to side and his green eyes finally met hers.

They were sad and teary, and she gently caressed the side of his face in silent support.

They didn't need words to understand each-other, sometimes their silence said more than they ever could hope to achieve with spoken words.

They stayed there on her balcony, her hand wrapped in his and when she glanced at him from the corner of her eye, she swore she saw something.

He was smiling.

She smiled and leaned her head against his shoulder, her voice not above a whisper, "I'm glad you're alright now, kitty,"

A soft purr escaped his chest and she secretly treasured the sound, his voice just as low as hers, "Thank you, m'lady,"

The endearment caught her off guard, heart hammering inside her chest in a panic, until she suddenly remembered.

This was _Chat Noir._

Her partner, her best friend, her kitty. He would _never_ let her down or intentionally hurt her.

With a small smile, Marinette closed her eyes and whispered, "…You're welcome…Adrien," a small blush covered her cheeks when she felt him tense.

"You…you know?" his voice was small.

She shifted but stayed close to him, "I…I started to wonder when you had my good luck charm." She bit her lip, smiling softly, "I made that myself, seeing Chat Noir wearing it made me suspicious since there can't be another one like it," then, she giggled, "And I started to remember all the times you accidentally punned as Adrien and I connected the dots,"

"You're…not disappointed?" she frowned at his question.

"Of course not kitty." Heart fluttering nervously, Marinette swallowed her fear, "…Are you?"

His answer was immediate and his gaze fierce and honest when it met hers, "Never,"

She smiled and he smiled back and they fell into a comfortable silence again.

She sighed contently, and he nervously wrapped an arm around her shoulders, "Is, uh, is this o-okay?" he had rarely been _this_ close to her.

Marinette giggled, finding courage in the fact that Adrien Agreste dressed in a leather suit was actually _nervous_ and _fidgety_ beside her, " _Purrfect,"_

The pun seemed to have sapped away all his fears and his stiff grip around her relaxed and she treasured the way he adjusted his posture, so she was comfortable against him.

"I'm glad it's you," both their voices echoed into the diminishing daylight and they both looked at each-other in surprise before they laughed quietly.

Chat Noir spoke first, a smile on his face, "Thank you, princess," his smile was genuine and happy and it made her feel warm.

She smiled back, "You're welcome, kitty," settling back against him, both shared a knowing smirk before two shadowy figures quickly hid behind the chimney again of Marinette's balcony.

* * *

"Alya, this is crazy! _We're on a roof!_ " Nino whisper-shouted to his partner-in-crime, clinging on the chimney for dear life.

Alya scoffed, "Shh! They'll hear us!" she peeked behind their cover at the pair, oblivious to their knowing smirks, "What do you think what they meant with 'I'm glad it's you'?"

Nino shook his head, clinging onto Alya's arm when she slowly and quietly made her way back into the Dupain-Cheng house through the hatch, "I don't know, we just came up there a second ago!" he glared at her, "Which reminds me, exactly _why_ are we spying on Marinette?!"

Alya glared back at him, now in the safety of Marinette's room, away from their eyes, "We didn't _plan_ on spying on her if you remember! I just wanted to give her, her textbook back and then we saw her on the roof with Chat Noir!" she slowly peeked over the window of Marinette's hatch, watching her friend's and Paris' superhero's turned backs, "Since when is she so friendly with Chat Noir anyway?"

Nino sighed, "Dude, I have no idea. I thought she was still into Adrien," he shrugged.

Alya rubbed her chin thoughtfully, "She _is_." She couldn't help but glance back at the pair, watching the way their hands were entwined and how Marinette's head rested a little _too_ snugly on the cat's shoulder, "…I _think_ ,"

Nino crossed his arms, "This doesn't make any sense," he was about to quietly exit his friend's room, _before_ getting caught by said friend, but it seemed like his girlfriend had other ideas.

"You're right, it doesn't," his eyes narrowed suspiciously. He was _right_? That can't be good, "Which is why we'll spy on them!"

Nino's eyes nearly bugged out of his head, " _What?!_ _No!_ I think we did enough spying for one day! We weren't even supposed to be here without Marinette knowing it! Come on, let's go before she sees us!" he grabbed her hand and hastily moved down the stairs.

Alya glanced back one more time, a fierce fire burning in her eyes and Nino knew it was a hopeless case, "We'll let the cat out of the bag soon enough,"

Nino groaned.

* * *

Chat Noir warily glanced behind him, whispering closely to Marinette's ear, "You think they heard something?"

Marinette slowly shook her head, "No, I don't think so. Alya hasn't bombarded any of us with questions yet so they don't know who we really are," despite her friends being gone, she was still keeping her voice low.

Chat glanced at her curiously, "How did you know Nino was there too?"

Marinette smirked, "I saw his head just before Alya dragged him through the hatch," she giggled quietly.

Chat chuckled, shaking his head, Marinette looked at him curiously, "How did _you_ know they were there?"

Chat grinned and tapped his ears, "Felines have sensitive hearing, princess,"

She rolled her eyes playfully and he chuckled, her playful expression of annoyance melting into a smile.

Chat Noir – _Adrien_ – leapt off the edge of the metal railing, standing next to her now. He looked down at her, the same soft expression on his face he had whenever he looked at her alter ego, he was now looking at _her_ that way.

He grabbed her hand and bowed, leaning in to give it a soft kiss. Her cheeks heated up and when he straightened and reluctantly let go of her hand, he smiled when he saw the blush.

"Well, princess," he shot a brief look at the hatch pointedly, "It looks like it's getting late. Stay safe and away from any akumas, alright?" he grinned widely at her, jumping gracefully and balancing himself on the thin metal railing.

She smiled, her hands covering her mouth as she laughed, "Yeah, I will, don't worry kitty." She waved at him and he gave her a quick salute, along with the same soft look, before vaulting off on his baton.

Marinette sighed, wrapping her arms around herself, watching how her kitty leaped through the buildings until she could no longer see him.

"Are you happy you finally know for sure?" Tikki's soft voice interrupted her thoughts and Marinette smiled.

"Yeah…I always thought it would be a bad idea if we knew of each-other's identity's but…" her smile widened, "It's better this way," she turned to look at her kwami, who smiled up at her brightly.

And then, Tikki looked concerned, "Will you tell Alya and Nino? They deserve to know too,"

Marinette frowned slightly, "You're right…" and suddenly, a mischievous glint entered her eyes, one Tikki knew only too well.

"Marinette…" her charge pointedly ignored her.

" _Well…_ maybe it could wait…until we see what they're up to anyway," she smiled.

Tikki sighed, shaking her head.

Often times, he was glad she was paired with Marinette and not Plagg.

The cat kwami would surely corrupt her mind more than it already was.

Tikki _shivered_ at the mere thought of it.

 **Thank you kindly for reading everyone! Have a clawsome day! :3**


	31. One

**A/N:** Hey everyone! Looks like I'm on a roll! Oh! BTW: I _will_ write something based upon the latest episode (Season 2, episode 11) with a Marichat twist added to it! :D

 **ANSWERS TO REVIEWS:**

 **Zero kami no mu:** Sure thing! :3 That's a great idea, I'll try to upload it in the weekend! :D

 **LadyPers:** (interested) Ohh…sounds _pawsitively_ _catastrophic_ (in a good way ^_^) If any other readers agree to that, I'll have no problem writing up a part 2! :)

 **Purrincesseawah:** Right? Right? The devil duo XD

 **Mermain123:** Now _I_ wanna cry happy tears because of these wonderful reviews…AND YOU DID THIS TO ME! Haha I'll take that as a compliment and I'll be sure to write it up this weekend! :)

 **Yoshi:** Ah, really? Oh no, there are so many other amazing writers out there I seriously can't compare lol haha But it's really sweet of you to say that, thank you :3 Eh, I have plenty of errors somewhere ^^ Thanks, it really means a lot, I was afraid I was writing them a bit too OOC! :3

 **Prompt: (my own idea, again) Inspired by the quote marked here in** ** _italics_** **. Mix of LadyNoir, Ladrien, Adrienette, Marichat!**

 **Rating: K**

 **Question: Is it annoying if I include all of the Love Square in here from time to time?** I could create a separate one shot collection with general Miraculous one fics (shrugs helplessly)

* * *

 **One**

 _One smile can start a friendship…_

Adrien smiled, waiting patiently for her to take the umbrella under the falling rain.

Marinette stared at the boy before her in awe, seeing the genuine sincerity in his eyes.

And then, he smiled and she made up her mind.

Hesitantly, she took the handle of the umbrella from him and she smiled back shyly.

He never really noticed how pretty her smile was.

* * *

 _One word, can end a fight._

Ladybug hung her head sadly, her voice not above a whisper, " _Please_ ,"

It broke Adrien's heart, shattered every piece of his soul to see her so heartbroken and he couldn't stop himself from enveloping her in his arms.

He may not be Chat Noir right now, but he understood his partner, his _lady_ , all the same, "It's alright, bugaboo," and he hugged her tighter.

* * *

 _One look, can save a relationship._

They gazed at each-other from opposite rooftops, the raging akuma behind them causing a ruckus to get their Miraculouses, chaos breaking out in Paris.

But somehow, they only had eyes for each-other in that moment.

Ladybug's eyebrows drew together in worry, hands clasped in front of her, waiting.

Chat Noir frowned, stared at his feet briefly before looking back at her again, ears dropped to his head.

His eyes softened, gaze warm and accepting and Ladybug smiled brightly back, the radiance of that smile nearly blinding him, even from the distance they had between them.

When they gazed at each-other like this, they knew everything was alright, no words were needed.

Ladybug nodded at her partner and Chat Noir took the hint, extending his staff to engage the akuma in battle for his lady to come up with a plan.

They only sent each-other a look before they saved the day.

* * *

 _One person, can change your life._

"Marinette," Chat Noir was breathless, he felt weightless, but he was relentless, gazing intently at her.

He had needed years to figure it out, to understand, but he finally did and he had to tell her.

"Thanks for the save, kitty," the smile she bestowed upon him melted his heart.

"Always, princess," the look he was giving her made her feel a lot of different things, things she always blocked as Ladybug, things she _couldn't_ block now.

Marinette bravely stared up at him, her eyes showing what her tongue refused to expose. It was the only way to tell him how she felt without stumbling over her own words. He was smart, her kitty could figure it out.

His eyes widened, in surprise, in excitement, in sheer joy.

She was off the ground before she had time to register his strong, familiar arms around her and the wind blowing in her hair as he spun her around.

She laughed, laughed from her heart as she clung to his neck and let herself get swiped off her feet by none other than her precious kitty.

"Silly kitty," she giggled when he set her back down gently, looking at her excitedly.

"Is…is it true?" he suddenly looked hesitant, insecure and she frowned, not liking the expressions on him at all.

She moved onto her tiptoes, cupping his face, "Chat, what you saw is what I feel," she looked at him resolutely, convinced he read her correctly.

The insecurity slowly melted away from his eyes like snow on a summer day and she found his hands gingerly cupping her face, mindful of his claws.

His eyes were so warm, so full of an emotion she long since tried to deny, especially as Ladybug.

Chat Noir smiled softly, thumb affectionately rubbing her cheek, "Then tell me princess, what do you see in mine?"

Marinette smiled, "The same," and she leaned in and kissed his cheek and she thought she never saw her kitty happier.

 **Thank you all for reading! :)**


	32. Short-Circuit

**ANSWERS TO REVIEWS:**

 **Zero kami no mu:** Yup, exactly. How one thing can change or influence your whole life basically. :3

 **SylverIscariot:** Don't you worry, I'll definitely warn for spoilers! BTW: You should watch it, it's awesome! :3 haha

 **Demi clayton:** Thank you. :)

 **Iridescent-Iris:** Thank you :3 Ah, right, sorry maybe I worded it weirdly but yeah when Chat/Adrien saw the Miraculous box (the black one where their kwamis were stored in when they first received them) he realized Marinette was Ladybug since she possessed one too. :)

 **Prompt: (my idea again) The clichee elevator scene. Older Marinette and Chat Noir (Ages: 23-24)**

 **WARNING: Kind of suggestive-y scenes. Kinda AUish**

 **Rating: T**

* * *

 **Short-Circuit**

Marinette's eyes intently roved over her latest sketches, tongue sticking out of her mouth in thought as she tried to see what she did wrong.

 _Something_ was wrong since she refused to make that dress for Alya. Maybe the length was the problem, or the way the sleeves were cut, maybe it was also the fact that the collar was heart-shaped…no that looked good.

She tapped her pencil against the side of her head rapidly, feeling annoyance bubble up inside her.

She was about to ask for Tikki's input, since nobody was in the elevator with her, until a sudden, _very_ familiar voice made her freeze, "Hmm…I'm not so sure about the sleeves there, princess. I would suggest a more casual look, besides, puff sleeves? Really princess?"

She turned her head and met none other than Chat Noir himself, "Chat, what are you doing here?" her eyes quickly scanned the still open elevator doors, heart hammering in her chest while she waited for them to finally _close._

The superhero looked innocent, "Well, I don't really think puff sleeves would suit Alya-"

" _No_ , I mean, what are you doing _here_?" she hissed, frantically looking back and forth between her companion and the still open doors.

 _Why won't it close?!_

She didn't need any rumors regarding her and Chat Noir. She had learned enough from the few times Chat Noir had visited and saved her from akumas in the past when they had been teenagers, the press would eat up anything and spit it out completely different, regardless of the situation.

Just like they insinuated a relationship of the more… _intimate_ kind between them when a paparazzi took a photo of them how Marinette was helping sneak Chat Noir into her room in the dead of the night.

In reality, the poor cat had come stumbling barely conscious to her balcony, having encountered a rare, more dangerous case of thievery-turned-assault, one where Chat Noir had to hold back the majority of his powers, allowing for the criminals to inflict more damage on him. She had only helped him limp toward her room so she could treat his injuries there.

"Princess?" the blond tilted his head to the side like a confused cat and Marinette blinked, realizing she hadn't heard a single word he said.

"I-I'm sorry! Can you repeat that?" she grinned sheepishly, rubbing the back of her neck in embarrassment and flashing him an apologetic smile.

Chat Noir didn't seem to mind, smiling calmly back, "I said, there's been some commotion between co-workers up in the higher stories, Ladybug didn't pick up so I went to check it out," at her worried look, he grinned, "All cleared up. They may not be best buds now, but nobody got hurt," he winced when he remembered one of the participants throwing a coffee canister at his colleague, "… _much_ ," he grinned sheepishly.

Marinette sighed, shaking her head, "Good to know. I didn't even hear anything down here,"

Chat Noir looked down at the sketchbook in her hands, one hand resting on the wall leisurely, "What are _you_ doing here anyway, princess?"

Marinette lifted her sketchbook up for Chat Noir to see, showing him some of her latest sketches, "I was hoping to get an internship here at the company as an assistant fashion designer. I have another meeting in two weeks where they'll tell me if I got accepted or not," she lowered her sketchbook back to hold it against her stomach, biting her bottom lip, "I'm not really sure if I'll get accepted though. There were so many other candidates,"

Chat Noir frowned, "I don't doubt it one bit! After all, you're amazing!" at her stunned look, he cleared his throat, "With, uh, your designs! I'm sure even someone like Gabriel Agreste would be happy to employ you," he smiled at her tenderly and Marinette found herself flushing.

"Gabriel Agreste? Chat, do you _know_ what sort of influence he has? I mean, I met him a few times when I visited Adrien but still…he's something like the king of fashion! He doesn't just accept _anyone_ ,"

Chat shrugged, " _True,"_ he shook his head and looked at her seriously, placing one hand on her shoulder reassuringly, "Trust me, my d-aah, I mean, Mr. Agreste surely could spare some time to have a little talk, right?"

Marinette smiled weakly, "Yeah, maybe." She shrugged helplessly, "I mean, if nobody answers or accepts me I guess I could try it as a last resort,"

"That's what I'm talking about princess!" he grinned happily, he stuck his fist out reflexively and he was about to draw it back, not expecting her to reciprocate, but was surprised when her smaller fist met his.

"Pound it!" Marinette's automatic response to their usual fist bump as Ladybug and Chat Noir made her freeze up, looking up at the stunned expression on his face, "I uhh…I usually do that greeting with my dad too! Like, uh, a-after winning a video game?" Marinette grinned nervously, heart racing a mile a minute.

She could actually breathe again when his previously suspicious expression melted away, "Oh, I see," he chuckled, remembering the few times they've played video games together in her room, "Yeah, I remember," he shook his head fondly.

Marinette smiled, covering her mouth as she giggled, thinking the same thing as him.

They fell into a comfortable silence as the elevator doors closed and started its descent down, their hearts feeling like they lurched up to their throats before settling down again once they got used to the moving of the elevator.

Chat Noir turned to her, "So, anything new happening lately? Been a while since we last talked, princess," his elbow rested against the wall of the elevator, head inclined interestingly toward her.

Marinette thought for a moment, her bottom lip sticking out in thought, not noticing Chat following the movement fascinatedly when they immediately shot back up to her eyes when she looked at him, "Well, Alya keeps pestering me on going on a double date with her and Nino, but uh, I don't have a boyfriend and she keeps insisting I ask this…guy I liked for a long time out," again, she bit her lip and Chat swallowed.

"Oh? Somebody else stole my princess' heart? Now what prince charming could that be?" he rose an eyebrow, secretly going through a mental list of all guys that had ever interacted with Marinette.

There was Kim, Ivan, Max, Nathaniel,- _Nathaniel!_

Chat froze.

Oh, that _cunning, little-_

Chat's eyes sprung back to hers, "Excuse me, princess, what did you say?" he blinked innocently, pretending he wasn't plotting how to inconspicuously throw Nathaniel out of a window and make it seem like it was an accident.

Marinette rubbed her arm, slightly embarrassed, "Uhm, well, you see, he's uh, he's one of your 'friends'," she looked at him expectantly, "Uhm, you mentioned you met him a few times and that you guys talked sometimes," when he didn't show any signs of recognition, she pressed on, " _You know_ , tall, blond, gorgeous- I-I mean uh, for his profession I mean!"

Chat's eyebrows shot to his hairline.

…Blond? Tall? Gorgeous for his profession?

"A stripper?" he was genuinely dumbfounded. He didn't know one of his allies was secretly a stripper…he would have to rethink his choice of friends again it seemed.

Marinette's face turned on several shades of red, " _No_ , Chat! A _model!_ "

Something clicked in his brain then.

Tall, blond, gorgeous, a model.

Tall, blond, gorgeous, a model.

 _Tall, blond, gorgeous-_

Chat's mouth fell open.

" _Did that Theo Barbot dye his hair blond? I haven't seen any news featuring that!"_ he grit his teeth, " _Copycat, alright!"_

Marinette stared at him as if he was crazy and for a brief moment, he wondered why.

Then it clicked.

 _Wait._

 _HE's_ a model!

 _HE's_ tall, blond and gorgeous!

Wait…

He rose an eyebrow, "….You think Adrien Agreste is gorgeous?"

Her face flushed uncomfortably, "W-Well, you know, for someone of his line of work, y-yeah," she shifted the sketchbook in her arms, fingers nervously gripping the edge of it.

Chat blinked, what did that even _mean_?

"…So, Alya wants you to ask Adrien out, huh?" he grinned, "Why don't you? I'm sure he would say yes," he smirked. Oh he most definitely would.

Marinette sighed, deflated like a balloon and his heart plummeted sadly to his stomach, "Princess?"

Marinette shook her head slowly, "It could never work, Chat. Adrien only ever saw me as a friend,-"

" _That's not true,"_ he frowned.

"-and look at me! I can't possibly compete with all those models he meets daily on his photo shoots!" she sighed again.

He crossed his arms, snorting, "What if I tell you that's not true?" her head whipped around to look at him in surprise and he cleared his throat, "What if I tell you that all those models he meets never caught his eye? That he kept trying to forget a certain dark-haired girl with bluebell eyes but that it was impossible because she was so amazing? What if…" his eyes met hers meaningfully and he saw slow recognition dawn on her features, "…I tell you, _I'm_ the guy that kept trying to forget you but simply couldn't?"

Marinette's jaw dropped in shock, like his had before and his heart hammered wildly in his chest as he slowly inched closer to her, claws gently stroking the side of her face as he slowly stared to lean in, eyes rapidly moving over her face to search for any signs of rejection.

His face was only a breath away from hers when a violent tremor wracked the elevator and he instinctively wrapped his arms around her head as they fell down to the floor, curling around her protectively as the shaking grew.

Warmth flooded him when her arms wrapped tightly around him, one hand going up to wrap around his own head protectively and his heart swooned.

"Adrien!" she called worriedly into his chest as the shaking didn't stop and his heart made irregular pumps at the sound of his real name leaving her lips.

What in the world-

The shaking stopped, the world stopped spinning and only after a few minutes did he dare to slowly disentangle himself from around Marinette.

Slowly, slightly dizzy and disorientated, they both got to their feet.

The elevator stopped.

Chat's gaze narrowed at the emergency button as he pressed it, "Hello? We got trapped in the elevator," he frowned when nobody answered and his clawed finger repeatedly tapped against the annoying red button until a bored voice drawled from it.

 _Hello, we've received your call, a group of technicians will arrive shortly to repair the damage. Please stay calm and wait for further instructions._

Chat whirled around to face Marinette again, one hand supporting his weight against the wall, a sly grin on his face, "Well, looks like the electricity between us short-circuited the elevator," he winked suggestively.

For a brief moment, Marinette froze, remembering a very familiar scene like this one as Ladybug, with Chat saying the exact same words.

Did he _know_ who she was?

Shaking her head to dispel her thoughts, Marinette sighed, "How long do you think they need to get to us?" she stood leaning against the wall, face slightly pink. She shouldn't think too much on his words, perhaps he had run out of original jokes, though knowing him, that would be nigh to impossible…

She couldn't _believe_ Adrien, the guy she had a crush on since she could think, the guy she was trying hard to get over, was the _same_ superhero that had been her partner for _years_ and whom she had started to develop feelings for. Fate certainly had a twisted sense of humor.

Chat suddenly smirked, all teeth, "I hope not any time soon," she shot him an incredulous look and he moved closer towards her until he had her pinned to the wall, her eyes widened in realization and she blushed, "At least after I'm done with you, _purrincess_ ," he was suddenly thankful for the mask that hid half of his blush. He was hoping he wouldn't get flung through the window.

Marinette's face turned scarlet, the blush going all the way down to her neck and disappearing beneath her clothes and Chat was eager to know till where her blush reached.

He was stunned though, when he felt her thin but strong arms wrap around his neck and pull him down toward her and together, they tumbled to the floor.

 _A little longer than a few minutes later…_

The elevator activated with a violent jolt, startling the two occupants leaning against the wall comfortably.

Marinette shot up first, hands flying to fix her hair and clothes, "Looks like they repaired it,"

Adrien smirked, "You sound disappointed, princess," he grinned, his grin stretching wider when he felt Plagg's claws gently prick his chest from the inside of his shirt and he fought down a chuckle.

Marinette fought down the blush that threatened to cover her entire face again, "Then you're reading the mood wrong,"

Adrien's eyes lighted up at the unintentional opening she gave him, "I think I've been rather _good_ at _reading the mood_ , don't you think?" his smile was all perfect white teeth, a grin Marinette usually associated with a certain cat.

She couldn't believe how oblivious she was to not have figured it out sooner.

Crossing her arms smugly, Marinette allowed a small smirk to grace her lips, "I think you have a small smudge there on your shirt," she grinned suddenly, "And your cheek," she cleared her throat in an attempt to hide her giggle when Adrien flushed and quickly inspected his white shirt and frantically rubbed at his cheek.

He whined when he found she was joking, " _Marinette!"_ the young woman stuck her tongue out at him.

"Serves you right for teasing me, sly cat," her teasing smirk transformed into an affectionate smile when he stood up, his hair looking disheveled. She tenderly ran her fingers through it, trying to comb through to give it its normal tidy appearance, "If I had seen your bedhead earlier, I would have realized straight away you were Chat Noir," she giggled.

Adrien flushed, clearing his throat, "Yeah, well…ok, I don't really have any excuse why I couldn't figure it out, I mean all you did was wear a suit but everything else was the same. Maybe our kwamis used some magic so we couldn't recognize each-other," he pointedly looked down at his shirt but Plagg stayed surprisingly quiet.

Marinette glanced down at her purse, Tikki also saying nothing, before both young adults could question their kwami's sudden silence, the doors to the elevator moved open.

Bright light hit them and they were greeted by the technicians, "Sir, madam, are you alright? Should we call an ambulance?" both uniformed men looked at them cautiously.

Marinette smiled kindly at them, bowing her head in gratitude, "No, thank you that won't be necessary. Thank you for getting us out of there so quickly," the technicians nodded at her and stepped aside to allow them to exit, sharing a look between them when Adrien suddenly grabbed Marinette's hand and they walked out holding hands.

"Dude, isn't that Gabriel Agreste's son?" the taller uniformed man said.

His partner nodded, whistling lowly, "Along with that budding fashion designer Dupain-Cheng. Damn, I thought she wasn't spoken for," he sighed in disappointment.

"As if she would want a fatass like you," his partner snorted.

The stouter man bristled, "I'm _not_ fat! I'm generously proportioned!"

 **Hehe, the end for this chappy! Thanks for reading! :3**


	33. Tight Places

**A/N:** Hi everyone! :) Hope all my readers are doing well! It's the end of the week and I hope to relax a bit before starting studies and work again lol. Anyway, here's the next chapter!

 **ANSWERS TO REVIEWS:**

 **Demi clayton:** Thanks :)

 **I Made a Review:** haha I like your username XD Aw, finally someone noticed, I was sure nobody would notice that haha :3 Thank you for the review :D

Next chapter will be a reader request! :3

 **Prompt: (…from me again…) Chat Noir realized that small spaces weren't so bad if you were sharing them with the right person, even if it was to hide from her parents.**

 **Rating: K-T**

* * *

 **Tight Places**

"Heh, looks like I got you beat princess," Chat coolly looked at his claws, sporting a full-blown smirk.

Marinette rolled her eyes when he wasn't looking, sighing as she crossed her arms, "Chat, the score is ten wins for you and twenty-two for me,"

Chat huffed, waving his hand nonchalantly, "So, what? I still got ten wins, right? Wanna make that to thirty?" Chat grinned, excitement shining in his eyes like Marinette's hadn't seen in a while.

Her answer was immediate, "You're on," and before either of them could start a new game, there was a knock on her door.

" _Marinette?_ " the muffled voice of her mother sounded through the door and two pairs of eyes widened in shock, " _Sweetie, I brought you some sweets from the leftovers, would you like some?"_

Chat had never seen Marinette _move so fast,_ "Q-quick! Hide!" Marinette flew around her room, grabbing the frozen cat's bell and dragging him toward her closet.

Chat's eyes were wide and panicked, "W-wait!" he tried to stop her, but she promptly slammed the door into his face and he froze when he heard the door open and Mrs. Dupain-Cheng's voice from the outside, " _Oh, I'm sorry, am I interrupting you?_ "

Chat held his breath.

Marinette sounded slightly nervous, but other than that completely natural, " _Mama, oh no, no, don't worry, I was just, ah, playing Ultimate Mecha Strike 3! Nothing much!"_ she giggled and Adrien could imagine the way she rubbed nervously at her neck.

He tensed when he heard footsteps coming close to the closet, before they stopped somewhere close, " _Alright dear, just remember not to stay awake for too long, alright?"_ he smiled when he heard Mrs. Dupain-Cheng giving her daughter a smooch to the forehead and then his anxiety grew again.

The rest of the conversation died down and his claws lightly dug into his own hands, he quickly closed his eyes, focusing on his breathing.

 _Breathe Adrien, breathe. Count to ten, count to ten, just take deep, slow breaths. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5-_

Light filled his vision and he nearly sprung out of the small closet, panting with his hands on his bent knees.

A warm hand was rubbing his back and he quickly straightened, seeing Marinette's concerned expression, "Chat! Are you alright?" and he swore, in that moment, in the right light, she looked just like his lady when she was worrying over him.

"Sorry, princess, I don't like tight spaces," he held his hands up, before one hand went to ruffle through his hair, sighing heavily in relief as he felt he could breathe easier now. He didn't notice Marinette's brief look of surprise, as if a distant but familiar memory flashed through her mind, it was gone as quickly as it had come.

"Are you okay kitty?" she asked again, noticing the way his chest rose and fell a little too quickly to her liking and the way a wave of anxiety still clouded his eyes.

Chat sighed, " Y-Yeah…" Marinette frowned.

"I'm sorry, mama would have seen you." Her heart constricted at the thought that she had just put her partner in such an uncomfortable situation where he nearly hyperventilated in her own closet. Why didn't he tell her sooner he was claustrophobic?

But Chat Noir smiled calmly nonetheless, "That's okay _purrincess_. I can spend a few seconds in a small _clawset_ if it means spending the rest of the evening with you." He winked and looked at her meaningfully.

Marinette's entire face blushes almost as red as Nathaniel's hair and she's feeling her brain shut down at encoding Chat Noir's words and what they could possibly mean.

Seeing the look on her face, Chat's own eyes widened when he replayed his words in his head, "N-no! W-wait! That came out wrong! I'm sorry!" his arms flailed around frantically, a blush covering his face that was poorly hidden by his mask.

And suddenly, Marinette started laughing, _hard_.

"You silly cat!" she rested her hand on his shoulder, her giggles still ringing in his ears that sounded like an angel's laughter, "Don't worry Chat Noir, I know you wouldn't say something like that," she smiled at him reassuringly, her eyes were filled with so much trust in him, he seriously wondered how they could grow this close in the span of months.

Well, almost a full year since his routine visits to her anyway.

And each time, he felt that magnetic pull, only this time it was just a bit stronger and he found himself unable to break her gaze.

 _"_ _Marinette!"_

"Cha-"

"Marinette! Care to let your old man beat you in-" Tom looked around the room, noticing his daughter's absence, "Marinette?" he looked behind the door but found nothing, "Hmm… maybe she's in the bathroom," quietly, Tom closed the door behind him.

"…Chat…why did you hide _me_ from my own dad?!" Marinette whisper-shouted to her partner-in-crime, pressed up against him in the tight confines of her closet, "…And I thought you said you hated small places!" her hands were resting on his chest and he prayed she couldn't feel his racing heart.

"W-well, ah, I uh…I-I panicked okay?!" he grumbled in displeasure, before an idea hit him, "And besides," his Chat bravado returned full force, gone was the shy, sweet Adrien, "If it means going into tight places with you, I think I don't mind them too much _,_ " he grinned widely from ear to ear and Marinette was glad she couldn't see the stupid grin she was _sure_ he was sporting.

She sighed, shaking her head slowly, "What am I going to do with you kitty…"

"I can think of a few things,"

Marinette glared at him in the dark, completely oblivious to the fact that he could see perfectly fine and see the blush on her cheeks from his close proximity, "Well, _I_ think we should get out of the closet before you faint on me," she smirked cheekily, and Chat chuckled.

"Ah, but I know you'll be there to catch me if I fall," his remark was meant to be half-teasing, but she surprised him by saying this.

"Of course," he looked down at her seriously, surprised and touched by her serious answer and before his hand could make contact with her cheek to pull her closer, they suddenly fell backwards.

" _Ouch!" "Meowch!"_

Marinette glared at the half-sprawled cat on top of her, noticing since he had started gaining a bit more muscle his weight had started gaining too, "…Chat…you're heavy,"

He huffed, blowing out a strand of hair away from his eyes, "You wound me, princess…"

" _Chat…"_ and they both laughed.

 **Thanks for reading! Reviews are always very appreciated. The next chapter will be a reader request! :3**


	34. The She-Devil and the Evil Cat God

**A/N:** Hi everyone! I'm sorry I didn't update in a while, my new stories kept me a bit busy (coincidentally, all Miraculous related: "Of Compasses and Statues" and "Dinner for Two", still writing on those chapters :3

 **ANSWERS TO REVIEWS:**

 **Guest:** Thanks for reviewing, I'll make sure to write your prompt as soon as I can :3

 **Prompt: In which, after Adrien loses Plagg, the little kwami finds his way into Marinette's hands and Chat Noir is frantically trying to get the little devil back before he corrupts his princess.**

 **Rated: K+**

* * *

 **The She-Devil and the Evil Cat God**

"Great, _now_ how am I supposed to get my camembert?" Plagg scoffed and crossed his little arms, a twinge of doubt shooting through him.

Where was Adrien? Wasn't it about high time that he noticed Plagg was missing?

There goes his masterplan, maybe Plagg went too far this time. All he wanted was a little _fun_ , since model boy was full of boring schedules, but _no_ , 'Plagg, don't be silly, we can't do that', 'Plagg, no!', 'Plagg, I don't have time, I have a photoshoot! We can't goof around!'. 'Plagg, we have to transform, stop emptying your cheese supply!'

 _Yawn._

Plagg hissed in annoyance, floating around in boredom. Alright, so maybe his originally thought to be masterplan would backfire on him, with even less things to do. He should wait until

Humans, they would never cease to amaze him.

And suddenly, his whole body froze.

He sensed it.

It was Tikki's energy.

A slow, large grin stretched his face and he cackled, quickly flying stealthily toward the class.

It was vacant, save for the two familiar girls that were Adrien's friends.

Blue-eyes girl was there along with four-eyes with the red hair. He figured the safest he would be was in Ladybug's care, even if that meant the very real possibility of exposing their identity and evoking Tikki's wrath.

Plagg froze again, a mounting feeling of dread filling him.

Memories of the past began to flash before his eyes and Plagg shivered in fear.

He remembered the time Tikki nearly drowned him when he accidentally allowed Chat Noir, if he remembered correctly during the medieval era for humans, to infiltrate the princesses' chambers.

Well…in his defense, they _had_ been in love…the only thing he failed to account for had been his rotten luck, where Chat Noir nearly got gutted by the guards _who had been right outside the princesses' bedroom._

Or the time in China where he accidentally caused the annihilation of an entire village of some fat, irate lord. Granted, they had been the bad guys but…Chat Noir had been framed of course and it had been a time Ladybug had hated his guts before they reconciled after years of feuding with each-other.

It wasn't _his_ fault that he accidentally exposed a spy of the enemy country in the midst of stealing a wheel of cheese from one of the market vendors. The guy just _had_ to be in the way right when Chat Noir was about to run away with his prey, making the man fall and his shawl to get undone, exposing the trademark colors of his country for all the villagers to see.

Plagg _certainly_ wasn't responsible for the human's stupidity. What soldier in disguise would wear his nation's clothes underneath a simple cloak? He would have had to account for to, at one point, lose the cloak.

On one hand, maybe going to Tikki would be a bad idea.

A very bad idea.

But he couldn't help it. He missed his little bug. Of all the centuries that had separated and brought them together, they have spent something like eternity without each-other by their side and with them in the same city, and their holders even going to the same school, he saw no threat in paying her a casual visit.

Rules be damned.

With all the stealth a little cat god of destruction and bad luck could muster, Plagg zipped his way past the girl's moving feet as they made their way toward the exit of the school.

He growled lowly when he saw the girl's bag was zipped up.

Good thing he knew his way around.

Using his claws to grasp onto the metal zipper, Plagg pulled with all his might and finally, a small enough hole was created thanks to the movement of the zipper, allowing him to easily slip inside.

Ahhhh, bliss!

"Plagg?"

Plagg grinned and turned around to look at his counterpart, perfectly able to see in the dark, "Tikki!" he flew into her startled arms, knocking the cookie from her little hands, "I missed you, bugaboo!"

" _Plagg?!"_ the little kwami quickly shooed him off, big blue eyes blinking wide, "What are you _doing_ here? Where's Adrien?!"

She had that look again. Her eyes were narrowed, her arms crossed and her foot tapped in the air impatiently.

" _Plagg…_ " oh no, that voice! He was doomed. Wait…it sounded deeper, slightly strained…

" _I'm so screwed…"_ despite the impending danger he sensed, Plagg forced on a wide grin, "Heh, well…ya see, my human kinda forgot me,"

Tikki's eyes widened in shock, "What do you mean he _forgot_ you? How can he forget his own kwami?!" and suddenly, Tikki sneezed.

Plagg rose an eyebrow, "Are you sick?" concerned green eyes roved over her but Tikki was having none of it, "Just answer the question, Plagg!"

Plagg snorted, crossing his arms, "…I kinda made him," he grinned sheepishly.

Tikki's eyebrows rose, "…What?" she sneezed again.

Plagg chuckled, "…I slipped out of his bag when he wasn't looking,"

Tikki's eyes flew wide open and she threw her little arms up in the air, coughing in between her talking, "Plagg! Do you- _cough-_ ugh, know what _cough_ this means?! How can _cough_ Adrien possibly find you?! He doesn't know _cough_ Marinette is Ladybug, she doesn't know who Chat Noir is!" she flew around the small space in the bag and Plagg marveled at her ability to look cute and angry at the same time.

"I'm _cough_ disappointed in you," she gave him a stern look.

Plagg scoffed, " _Puh-lease_ , you can't honestly compare delicious camembert with smelly teenage shirts, I had to do _something_!" he stuck his tongue out.

Tikki groaned in frustration and the bag suddenly rustled violently, making both kwamis stumble and move around the bag.

And suddenly, light nearly blinded them both.

"Tikki! Are you alright? I'm so sorry, a cyclist nearly ran me over and I had to move out of the-" her eyes zeroed in on Plagg, whose own eyes were locked onto her.

"….Hi," he waved.

Marinette released a squeak, before frantically looking around to make sure nobody was within hearing range, "A-Another kwami?! W-what?! Tikki?!" she looked at her own kwami questioningly, with wide panicked eyes.

Tikki frowned, glaring at Plagg who only grinned sheepishly, "Umm…well…this is Chat Noir's kwami, Plagg, Marinette,"

Big blue eyes blinked rapidly at the black cat god and Plagg used the opportunity to ask a question he had longed to ask since learning the girl lived above a bakery, "Do you have camembert?"

More blinking.

"….Camembert?" Plagg could practically see the wheels turning in her head, "Yeah, my parents must have some in the fridge, why?" she tilted her head to the side, recognition slowly dawning on her, "Oh, right, Tikki likes to eat cookies so you like to eat camembert," she smiled then, "Don't worry, we'll be home in no time," she smiled kindly and closed her bag, walking slowly to not disturb them too much.

Silence befell the two kwamis for some time, until Plagg suddenly said, "Tikki, I want to corrupt your human,"

Another cough. Blue eyes narrowed at him, "Plagg…"

"I promise it's not like five thousand years ago!" big green eyes pleaded at her.

Tikki grimaced, "Are you crazy? Marinette _cough_ is already doing stuff she isn't supposed to be doing _cough_ most of the time!" she threw her little hands up in the air, "She _stole_ Adrien's phone at one point too!" she sighed, shaking her head.

Plagg grinned, eyes sparkling, "Cool-"

Tikki shot him a look and Plagg cleared his throat, "I mean…shame on humanity, yada, yada," he yawned, rolling his eyes, "Come on Tikki, have some fun!"

The red kwami sighed again, "This is a disaster. Plagg, they can't find out their identities!"

Plagg frowned, "Alright, alright, I'll go back…" a slow grin stretched his face, "… _after_ I'm done corrupting your charge,"

" _PLAGG!"_

" _PLAGG!"_ Adrien's high voice bounced off the walls of his room, a blond head zipping this way and that, jumping over his bed and desk and searching under his bed and in the trashcan for his kwami.

Nothing.

 _Where_ could he be?!

"Plagg! This isn't funny! You hear me? Plagg!" Adrien quickly opened the cabinet where the camembert was stored, thinking Plagg may have gotten into another cheese coma, but the kwami wasn't there.

Finally, Adrien plopped down on his couch, burying his face in his hands, "How could I lose him? Where could he had gone? What do I do if someone finds him?" Adrien sighed, thinking hard, "Think…when was the last time I saw him…"

His eyes widened, "Class!" he shot up, racing toward the door, only to find the gorilla behind it, standing guard as usual, "I need you to take me back to school, I uh…forgot something there," Adrien donned his best, most determined look and it seemed like he looked desperate enough because the gorilla relented with a grunt and they both made their way toward the car, not before informing Nathalie about their plans.

Adrien's fingers were shaking, his leg kept bouncing up and down and he couldn't stop thinking for a second.

What if a car hit him? What if Plagg got hungry and robbed a cheese factory? No, that would've been on the news…

His eyes widened in fear, what if _Chloe_ got her hands on him?!

Adrien leaned forward, "Can we drive a bit faster please?" he grinned sheepishly when the gorilla grunted again, but sped up slightly nonetheless, which Adrien was grateful for, his heart felt like it would burst.

He _had_ to find Plagg before something bad happened to him!

"This is the best thing that happened to me in a while!" the small kwami purred, deliriously happy as he munched on a wedge of camembert, a whole plate of the stinky stuff next to him.

Marinette grimaced at the smell, "Doesn't Chat Noir feed you regularly?" she thought he would take just as good care of his kwami like she did.

Plagg opened an eye lazily, "I have a stash full of camembert stocked in a cabinet, he makes sure it's never empty." He rolled his eyes, "But he's persistent when it comes to akumas, whenever he sees it on the news it's ' _Plagg, no time for eating, we have to transform now!'_ , now how can a kwami possibly enjoy that?" he rolled over onto his stomach, ignoring Tikki's disapproving look and her adorable sneeze.

Marinette rose an eyebrow curiously as she handed Tikki another tissue, " _Seems like Chat's got his hands full if his kwami's attitude is anything to go by…a cabinet full of cheese…just how much does he eat?"_ she shook her head, "So, uhm…you're saying he lost you?" she rose an eyebrow.

Plagg swallowed roughly, sharing a nervous glance with Tikki, "Uhh…y-yeah…stupid kid," he coughed.

Marinette frowned, "Really? I can't believe Chat isn't more careful…" then again, he _did_ tend to get easily distracted during battles.

Plagg grinned nervously, "Yeah well…you know how those teenagers are…he sprinted out of class so fast I-"

Marinette's eyes flew open, "Class? What class? You mean _my_ class?"

Tikki shot him a murderous glare, her puffy eyes glaring daggers into his head, Plagg's sweating intensified, "What? What class? Class? I didn't say class, I said _fast_ , he sprinted so…fast that I fell out of his bag,"

Marinette frowned suspiciously, watching the nervous kwami share a look with her own one.

" _Does…does Chat go to my school? My class even?"_ she froze, "Plagg…you were near my school when I found you in my bag…or you must have been since Tikki was still alone when I looked into my bag just when class finished…" she rubbed her chin, "Does this mean Chat Noir goes to my school?" she tilted her head to the side.

Plagg felt a shiver race down his spine at the look Tikki shot him, "Uh…." He grinned broadly, "Hey! Didn't you say you had more camembert?"

Marinette crossed her arms, not willing to back down.

Plagg chuckled nervously, "Sorry, too much information," he peeked at her curiously then, "I thought you didn't want to know his identity?" he smirked.

Marinette bristled, "I-I don't! I was just curious, that's all," she crossed her arms, "Well… anyway, we have to figure out a way how to get you back to Chat Noir,"

Tikki floated up to her charge's face, a kind smile on her face, "Why doesn't _cough_ Plagg simply go back t-to _cough_ where Chat Noir last left him? I'm sure he is looking for him now," Tikki sniffed, blowing her nose in the tissue again.

Plagg was about to protest, but Tikki shot him a very cross look.

He closed his mouth obediently.

Marinette sighed, "Alright, that would work," her eyes suddenly widened, "Tikki! I forgot to check Adrien's schedule!"

Without thinking, Plagg said, "He's got fencing today as far as I know," but then, he realized his mistake and his eyes widened when Marinette shot him a look.

"Ah…how would you know?" she rose an eyebrow.

Tikki coughed violently, "Because Chat Noir and Adrien sometimes run into each-other and Plagg just memorized a bit of his schedule, _remember_?" Plagg nodded frantically, thanking Tikki for her intelligence.

Marinette gasped, "That's right! Chat Noir did mention running into him a couple of times, Adrien did too…" she rubbed her chin, "Hm..." Marinette's expression turned thoughtful and Tikki's suspicions grew worse.

"Marinette… are you planning to spy on him?" she crossed her little arms, trying to look dignified and stern while sniffing.

Plagg thought it was adorable.

Marinette apparently did too, "Aww, Tikki, you look so cute!" she gently tickled her kwami's head, "But no, it's not what you're thinking. You should stay at home Tikki, you're sick, I…still need to head out with Alya and…do something!" she grinned widely, too widely.

Tikki wanted to protest but she went into a sneezing fit and Plagg hurriedly grabbed a miniature sized blanket from the large cat pillow, he would have to file that for later, and draped it over Tikki's shoulders, leading her to her makeshift bed in Marinette's drawer next to her bed, "There, there Tikki, you should lay down, you haven't been sick since a thousand years ago!" Plagg grinned widely and Tikki smiled.

"Well..maybe…" her eyes were already fluttering closed by the time Plagg tucked her in affectionately, her voice barely above a hoarse whisper, "Don't…cause any…trouble,"

A roguish grin stretched over Plagg's face, "Don't you worry my little bug, I'll take care of your Ladybug,"

With that, Plagg zipped up to Marinette's face and whispered conspiratorially, "So, what are we _really_ gonna do?"

Marinette shot a quick look at Tikki's sleeping form before she smirked.

Adrien rubbed his neck for what felt like the umpteenth time on his way to fencing class, "What the…it feels like someone's starring at me…" he shot a quick look over his shoulder but saw no one.

He sighed, his shoulders slumped. The classroom had been empty, no Plagg in sight. He hadn't been in the surroundings courtyard either, not in the nearby park, not in any trashcans, in no bakeries either.

Where _was_ that gluttonous kwami?

Adrien sighed, tightening his hold on his shoulder bag rustling with his fencing gear, " _Plagg…be safe…don't do anything stupid,"_

"You do this on a regular basis, don't you?" Plagg looked up at Tikki's charge suspiciously, impressively managing to hide behind a thin tree, away from Adrien's sight as she kept her eyes on him like a hawk.

"Psst, he may hear us," she whispered back.

Plagg couldn't stop the grin from forming on his face, "He's ten feet away from us, don't worry," he flew up to her face, "So, what's the plan? Are we gonna steal his phone? Sabotage his helmet so his hair sticks out weirdly? Turn the water cold while he's showering?"

Marinette's brain short-circuited at the word "shower".

Plagg tapped his foot mid-air impatiently, "Hey! Focus!" Marinette blinked out of her temporary haze and blushed, shyly scratching the back of her neck.

"Uhm…actually, I just thought of watching him train today," she grinned sheepishly.

Plagg sighed, "I see I have much work to do to corrupt you completely…"

"What?"

"I see I we're wasting time to spy on Adrien,"

"Eck!" Marinette grabbed Plagg and stealthily hid him in her purse, dashing toward the walking model, who had gotten quite far ahead while they had talked.

Plagg grinned within the safety of Marinette's bag, mouth watering at the slices of cheese she had stored in in case he got hungry.

He would have to force Adrien to marry this girl and forget about Ladybug.

Or he could expose her identity as Ladybug, so they could get married faster.

Either way, he was sure he didn't want to leave her side any time soon, she could potentially give him more cheese than Adrien…

"…Could I get more camembert when we go back?" his whisper easily reached her ears and Marinette smiled down at her partner-in-crime.

"Of course, Plagg," she patted his head gently, diving into a crouch behind a parked car when she thought Adrien would turn around.

Plagg silently marveled at her surprisingly fast legs and impressive stealth, a complete contrast to the girl's usual clumsiness.

"Maybe I could just quickly browse through his phone, just to check his schedule…" it seemed like Marinette was muttering more to herself than the kwami, but Plagg was happy to join.

"I say we steal his phone," he grinned from ear to ear, "Think of all the possibilities!"

Deleting all those photos of Ladybug, of Ladynoir fanart, of Ladybug buddy photos she had actually agreed to, of Ladybug merchandise, of-

Marinette suddenly hesitated, "I don't know, I already stole his phone once…or uhm, actually I just borrowed it to delete my embarrassing message…" she grinned bashfully.

Plagg crossed his arms, sighing dramatically, "Aw…well, it can't be helped. I guess this century's Ladybug is even more boring than I thought she would be," Plagg inspected his paws casually.

Marinette frowned, "Boring?" Plagg smirked, there was a shift in the air.

He could _feel_ it.

"Well, maybe I should go find my kitten since it's so boring here with Ladybug," he shrugged, making a show of flying away, until the girl suddenly gripped him in her hands.

Plagg's eyes widened, "Oh _no_ , I thought we had a mission Plagg!" Marinette squinted at the tiny cat god and Plagg swallowed.

"Uhhhh…."

"I'll show you boring!" Marinette stuffed Plagg inside her purse, determinedly and swiftly, racing through the street, through trees and a few bushes, tailing Adrien perfectly, which suggested this certainly wasn't the first time she had been doing it either.

Plagg, despite the anticipation welling up within his stomach, grinned wickedly.

This was going to be _fun._

Adrien's fencing instructor narrowed his eyes at him, sounding impatient as he called him over again.

Adrien smiled apologetically, running toward the changing rooms, "I'm sorry, I'll be right back! Something is wrong with my uniform!"

Quickly hiding within the privacy of the empty changing rooms, Adrien took off the upper part of his fencing uniform and his eyes widened in mortification.

Holes.

 _Holes everywhere._

His shirt looked like swiss cheese.

"How did-" he looked around, spotting nothing suspicious.

Who would _do_ such a thing? _Why_? Did someone hate him?

Adrien grimaced, sighing. Well…he didn't really have a choice, this was the only shirt he currently had, he had a spare uniform at home, but he couldn't just run off. Especially since Plagg wasn't here, maybe with Chat Noir's speed, he could pull it off, but as Adrien, he was a goner.

The blond sighed, putting his uniform back in place and solemly walking back out, ignoring the inkling feeling like he had heard giggles coming from somewhere within the lockers.

"Alright, what's next?" Plagg was practically vibrating in Marinette's purse.

"I actually thought of watching him train like this. Maybe we went overboard Plagg…I didn't mean to ruin Adrien's uniform," her gaze grew apologetic and guilty, but Plagg zipped right up to the girl's face and gently slapped her cheeks.

"Nonsense! You were great! In fact, you could be a great Chat Noir!" he crossed his arms proudly.

Marinette gasped, "What? Me? Chat Noir? I thought that role was reserved for boys only?" she giggled.

Plagg rolled his eyes, "Well, let me tell you, I've had a few female Chat Noirs before…all a bit of tricksters, like you, but you have even better ideas than them Marinette! We'll make a great team!"

Marinette frowned, "What about Chat Noir? Won't he be upset? You should go back to him Plagg,"

Plagg thought for a moment and heard Adrien's frustrated shout from outside, "Nah, he'll be fine," he grinned lazily.

Class was dead silent when the normally positive, all-smiles Adrien Agreste entered the classroom looking like the sole survivor of a zombie apocalypse or whatever had kept him up very late at night.

Dark circles under his eyes made his appearance that much more tired and gloomy and Nino could almost see the dark cloud looming over his friend as he slammed his face on the desk, "Dude, what happened to you? You look like you had a rough night,"

Adrien groaned, "So many things went wrong Nino," he tried not to let out a frustrated wail, "My fencing uniform had mysterious holes in it, father wasn't happy about it at all." He shuffled closer so the next thing he said could be heard from Nino only, "And all my Ladybug posters and merchandise just… _disappeared_! Does someone hate me? Who would do something like this?! Who could be so cruel and steal all my Ladybug themed things?! Even the mouse pad is gone, Nino!"

Not to mention Adrien had spent the better part of the day trying to find his lost kwami. Ever since the thought had entered his mind that one of his classmates might have found him or worse -his very own princess- he had redoubled his efforts of trying to find him.

There was no telling in what way Plagg would try to corrupt his poor, innocent princess. Ladybug was another thing, but Marinette was too pure for any of Plagg's wicked schemes. He would hate for her to start associating Chat Noir with everything wicked and evil Plagg conjured up in his trickster mind.

Marinette was giggling maniacally while Alya gave her a strange look, "Um…you alright girl?"

Marinette smiled innocently at her best friend, "Of course! Why wouldn't I be?"

Alya adjusted her glasses, "Because sunchild obviously had a bad day yesterday and you're looking like the cat that got the canary," Marinette's lips started trembling and Alya realized it was from suppressing her laughter, "Are you or are you not taking drugs?" she squinted at her suspiciously.

Marinette erupted into giggles, which earned confused and half-scared glances from their classmates sitting close, "No, no, I'm sorry Alya!" the joke reminded her of Chat Noir and the partly comical situation he must be in right now.

Frantically searching for his kwami, who was, for whatever reasons helping, or was it sabotaging?, her little missions concerning Adrien.

Class started before Alya could further interrogate her friend, but she kept a close eye on her, especially since Marinette was uncharacteristically often glancing down at her bag.

What on earth was that girl doing?

Marinette spoke in hushed, quick whispers to Plagg, "Is it a deal or not?"

Plagg smirked, "I don't know, depends on how much cheese you'll give me,"

Marinette smiled, "Two camembert cheesecakes and three wheels?"

Plagg remained silent for a long time until Marinette noticed he was holding back tears of joy, "I'll tell you everything you want to know, my lady,"

Marinette smirked, "Good, right after class, Plagg,"

"I'm sorry buddy…but it's for camembert…" Plagg whispered silently within the confines of Marinette's purse, not apologetic at all for betraying his poor, poor charge.

He remembered the surprisingly easy deal he had made with Marinette only yesterday when Tikki wasn't listening.

 _"_ _Say Plagg, are you allowed talking about Chat Noir when he isn't here?"_

 _The kwami smirked, "Well, it would be difficult if I would be in his ring if he were here, right?" Marinette blushed in embarrassment, "Whatcha wanna know?"_

 _Marinette scratched the back of her neck, "Well…does Chat Noir really practice his puns and flirts in front of the mirror?" she couldn't help but see if one of the rumors circulating about the leather-clad superhero were true._

 _Plagg snickered, "Unfortunately, I'm very loyal to my charge and nothing you say or do could possibly-"_

 _"_ _My parents baked a camembert cheesecake downstairs," Marinette smiled innocently, "We got whole cheese wheels too," she winked._

 _Plagg felt his brain short-circuit and he hoped Adrien would never find out about this, "Every morning before he starts the day and every night before he goes to bed. If you make it two whole cheese wheels I'll even tell you the color of his Ladybug themed-PJ's," Plagg grinned wickedly, cackling when a evil glint appeared in Marinette's eyes as she laughed._

 _"_ _Thanks Plagg,"_

Humans were strange creatures.

First Marinette had wanted to know if Chat Noir had any Ladybug merchandise in his house, just like he had spotted a stray Chat Noir doll, which looked suspiciously hand-made, or a big black cat pillow.

And now she wanted to know if there was anything else embarrassing the superhero did.

Of course, Plagg had to change up a few things to not expose Adrien's identity, but all in all it was nothing but the truth.

"You're kidding me Plagg," Marinette covered her mouth.

The kwami smirked, "I swear on camembert, I don't. He sings in the shower, at the top of his lungs that Ladybug and Chat Noir song the media made for you guys. He always sings both parts, it's hilarious," Plagg cackled, remembering Adrien's long shower sessions when he got hyped after an akuma battle.

"Do you have video footage?"

Of course he had, for blackmailing purposes. It was labeled and secretly stored under Adrien's bed, the one place the blond had ironically forgotten to check for.

Marinette noticed the look on the kwami's face and smiled, "How about four wheels?"

If one would ask the kwami how he fell prey to her charms, he would always say he had no idea.

Once he finally returned to a distressed and happy Adrien, he was sure his charge had a very good idea how he got persuaded so easily.

At least his lady was laughing again, even if it was at his own expanse.

The strange thing was Marinette knew things about Chat Noir she definitely was not supposed to know.

Like when they had their sleepover every two weeks where he sneaked out of the house after his father and Natalie fell asleep and transformed into Chat Noir, he would tease her about her suspiciously Chat Noir themed PJ. A black shirt with a cat face on it along with green pants with black paw marks on them. And when she countered about _his_ embarrassing collection of Ladybug themed merchandise, he knew she had to have sources to Ladybug to know all of that.

Unless…

Adrien's eyes widened and he looked down at his kwami in shock, "P-Plagg! How could- why did-! I understand…it's so clear now…" Adrien ran a hand over his face, "The things Marinette knew about Chat Noir were the same things Ladybug found out from you,"

Adrien laughed and Plagg froze, he knew he had been making bets with himself when the boy would stop being oblivious and finally find out who Ladybug really was, but he didn't expect it to happen quite yet.

"MY LADY TEXTED EVERYTHING TO MARINETTE!"

Plagg groaned and slid off the couch, completely contend to sleep through his camembert-induced coma to spare himself of Adrien's obliviousness any longer.

 **Thanks everyone for reading! I hope you enjoyed it :3**


	35. Came for the Date, Stayed for the Chat

**A/N:** Hi guys, Redfox here! :3 As promised, another fan prompt! Enjoy!

 **ANSWERS TO REVIEWS:**

 **Cinder:** (blushes and bows) Thanks so much for the compliment! :3 I was afraid it had been as bad as I thought it was ^^

 **Marichat4evaa:** Thank you, I'm glad you liked it! :)

 **Hitomi-nya:** Thanks again for the tip on the French word! I edited it already :D And to answer our question, I actually plan to write up a chapter about Luka as soon as I'm done with requests (which I think should be in the next chapter). :)

 **Prompt: Chat asks Marinette on a date!**

 **WARNINGS: A bit OOCish Marichat (I'm apawlogize dear readers! T_T )**

 **Rated: K-T**

* * *

 **Came for the Date, Stayed for the Chat**

Marinette rose an eyebrow when she heard a familiar tapping sound on her window and when she swiveled her chair around, she saw none other than Chat Noir crouching in front of her window, grinning at her widely.

Standing up, Marinette opened her window and stepped aside to let Chat Noir in, but instead of going in, he stayed outside but extended his hand out to her, "Kitty? What's wrong?" she rose an eyebrow.

He seemed perfectly calm, happy even, but the sight of his slightly dropping ears made her suspicious.

"Good evening princess," he smiled, "I was wondering if you could spare some time for this stray?" he smiled and Marinette had a feeling her kitty wanted to talk.

Immediately, she climbed out of her window, but Chat stopped her with a hand to her shoulder and she realized she hadn't verbally answered him, "Of course I can kitty, what's wrong?" concerned blue eyes stared up at him but the bright green hues of his eyes pacified her.

He grinned gently, "It's cold princess, we'll be heading out so you should dress warmly," Marinette rose an eyebrow but complied nonetheless, shooting Tikki a quick, reassuring smile before grabbing her long sweater. She was safe with Chat Noir, she didn't need to grab Tikki along.

Once properly dressed for the cool night air, Chat Noir helped her out of her hatch, but his hand remained wrapped around her own even when she found her footing on her balcony, "Chat Noir?"

The superhero smiled and bowed his head, "If the princess agrees, I would like to show you something,"

Marinette rose an eyebrow, crossing her arms in amusement, "Don't you have some superhero stuff to do?" had he finished patrol already?

But Chat shook his head, "All done and taken care of." He motioned with his head somewhere farther away, "I guess, I…don't really want to be a superhero, at least for tonight," he looked conflicted to say the least.

All sorts of ideas and theories started brewing up inside her mind, thinking what it could possibly be what Chat Noir would want to show her. Why hadn't he called Ladybug? Surely, she would be the first one he would want to know about something.

Despite the thoughts traveling through her mind, Marinette walked up to him and placed her hand on his shoulder, squeezing, "Well? Let's go kitty," she smiled up at him and Chat found himself slightly entranced by her.

He was surprised to see the unconditional trust in her eyes when she looked at him and how confidently and comfortably she walked up to him and smiled her consent. It made him feel warm, feel like he knew a side of Marinette that Adrien didn't and it made him excited and sad at the same time. Maybe if she got used to Chat Noir, she could also get used to Adrien?

Shaking his head, Chat smiled and held his hand out, "Well, this looks familiar," he smirked, thinking back to the times he had saved Marinette from akumas in the past.

Gently but firmly taking her hand, Chat Noir carefully picked her up bridal-style and Marinette wrapped her arms around his neck, completely trusting her kitty wherever it was he would take her. She knew if there was anyone she could trust with her life, it was Chat Noir.

Chat froze right when he wanted to extend his baton, eyes peering down at the smile on Marinette's face, remembering all those times she had usually kept her distance from him, much like his lady did, but now seemed so comfortable being close to him. With a smile, Chat vaulted off the small balcony, up over a few tall buildings and finally they landed in a park.

"Keep your eyes closed princess," gently pulling Marinette's hands away from his neck and setting her down on the soft grass, Chat went to work, lightning up the two lights he had brought along.

He made sure everything was in place and finally, when he deemed everything close to perfect, he said softly, "You can open your eyes now,"

Marinette wasn't sure what she had been expecting. She had thought it might have been something funny he had seen while on patrol, perhaps a scenery of Paris that was particularly captivating, maybe even something dedicated to Ladybug, but she had never expected what she saw when she opened her eyes.

They were in a park near the Eiffel Tower, under a thick, low hanging tree with a blanket laid out on the ground, a picnic basket full of goods on it, two bottles of juice along with two lanterns bathing the spot in a soft light.

Marinette didn't think this would ever happen to her, she was pretty sure she knew what this was, maybe she wasn't, maybe Chat just wanted to spend some time with her as a friend, maybe he wanted Ladybug to come here but went to her as a substitute because she didn't answer his calls and-

"Marinette?" she blinked, ripped out of her haze as she looked into Chat Noir's incredibly green eyes.

"Chat Noir, this is amazing!" and it really was, and it partly broke her heart, "I bet Ladybug would love it!"

Instead of the anticipated reaction, something to show her that Chat had planned this for Ladybug and was sad she didn't come, he looked…strangely indifferent. He shrugged instead, " _Purrhaps,_ " and then his face brightened, "But what do _you_ think of this, princess?" he settled down next to her on the blanket, legs crossed as he snatched two croissants from the basket and handed one to her along with a small carton box of juice.

"Me?" Marinette blinked, looking around at the nearly vacated park, "It's…really nice." She smiled fondly, "But, what Ladybug thinks is more important," she chewed thoughtfully on her croissant, realizing it was one from her parents' very own bakery. Had Chat come by? But surely her parents would mention Chat Noir himself strolling through the shop, had he come in his _civilian_ form and bought them? Her heart pounded at the thought of Chat Noir's civilian form so close to her own one.

Chat regarded her curiously, tilting his head to the side, "I don't know about that princess since she isn't here," he had long ago accepted her decision for them to remain friends, it had been hard and for the most part he had remained undeterred in pursuing her heart, but then he had spotted Marinette.

The same girl that could mercilessly beat him in Ultimate Mecha Strike III and keep up with his _clawsome_ puns was also the same shy, stuttering girl that sat behind him in class every day and that could barely string two sentences out in front of Adrien. Maybe she felt more comfortable around Chat Noir, maybe she liked him better, maybe Adrien was intimidating to her?

He shook his head, "I…" he scratched the back of his neck, feeling his cheeks heat up, "I actually only asked you here Marinette," he cleared his throat, furiously sucking the juice out from his juice box to avoid choking to death on the croissant.

Marinette's eyes flew open at that and he found the action to be…cute, "M-Me? Not…not Ladybug?" he shook his head.

And in the next second she looked flustered and he wanted to kick himself, "I-I mean, I can escort you back home princess if you'd like, maybe it was a mistake coming here and forcing you to-" there was a finger on his lips and his eyes shot to Marinette's serious face.

Only when she was certain he wouldn't talk did she remove her finger and leaned back against the tree behind her, "Easy kitty. You didn't force me into anything, I was the one who wanted to see what you wanted to show me, remember?" she smiled fondly, her gaze softening, "Besides…um…I-I really liked the surprise," she smiled and blushed prettily and he thought he had never seen her act this way around Chat Noir before.

"R-Really?" hope blossomed in his chest.

Marinette smiled and nodded. Chat dared to scoot just a bit closer to her leaning position against the tree, smiling now, "You know princess…" a smile curved his lips, his heart pounding just a bit faster, "Maybe uh, we could do this again," he scratched the back of his neck, a blush creeping up to his cheeks, "That is, if you want to of course,"

Chat held his breath, blood rushing in his ears and heart pounding until he felt a warm hand cover his own on the grass.

His eyes widened and he looked to his side, Marinette's eyes and smile were warm and she suddenly scooted much closer to him, resting her head on his shoulder, "I would like that kitty," she yawned softly, "I think it…would be…just… _purrfect_ ," her whispered words struck a chord in him suddenly.

He felt giddy, excited, calm, warm, tingly, all at once and he wasn't sure if he wanted to shoot through the sky or roll around on the grass in sheer happiness.

Carefully steadying Marinette, Chat Noir took out a blanket he stored in the basket, draping it over them both, cuddling closer to his princess.

He purred softly, cuddling her close, and he saw the genuine smile on her face, "You're right princess…" his thumb gently stroked her cheek, "This _is purrfect_ ,"

The warmth from Marinette and the feel of her in his arms, her scent all around him was what eventually lulled him to sleep.

For tonight, he wasn't Chat Noir the superhero.

He was just Chat, a lovesick kitten.

With his princess.

 **Argh, I'm so sorry if this didn't turn out right, for some reason I've been having writersblock despite having so many ideas to write .**


	36. Sinful Leather

**A/N:** Hello everyone! As always, thanks to anyone who reads my stories :3 I finally managed to produce something decent, but unfortunately I'm still suffering from writer's block :/

 **ANSWERS TO REVIEWS:**

 **Hitomi-nya:** Aw, thanks! I thought I wrote them too OOC!

 **Demi clayton:** Thanks!

 **Guest:** (wipes tear away dramatically) :)

 **I Made a Review:** Really? Thank you, I was a bit in a bad mood when writing it so I thought maybe it didn't turn out as well as I hoped. ^^

 **Prompt: Marinette starts thinking about Chat Noir's suit a little…too intensely.**

 **Rated: T (suggestivy- scenes if you could call it that)**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

 **Sinful Leather**

Sinful.

It must be illegal.

It _had_ to be. If not for the good of the world, then for her sanity.

Skin-tight leather.

Corded muscles.

Sharp claws.

Wild hair.

Cheeky grin.

Emeralds that stole your breath away-

"Princess?" Chat Noir cocked his head to the side, blinking perplexedly as he posed, waiting for the designer to take a photo for the making of his costume-look-alike.

Marinette blinked, finger paused over the flash button, "Uh…"

Sinful.

 _Leather._

 _What? Cat got your tongue?_

That man would be the death of her.

Marinette felt her face flush uncomfortably hot. She had never noticed it before, _refused_ to notice it before, but the older they got the more sinful that suit looked. Was hers the same? It couldn't be, at least not to her.

Perhaps there were modifications she didn't know of? How can such a durable suit leave so little to the imagination? She willed her eyes to stay above his waistline. _Always!_

Her eyes unwillingly followed how the leather stretched tightly over muscles, muscles she _knew_ he didn't have as prominent when they first began their partnership, muscles she wasn't quite sure when they started developing and making her brain turn to mush.

She could already hear Tikki telling her to snap out of it.

"A-Ah, s-sorry! You have to go!" Chat jumped to his feet, alarmed when she started pushing him out of her room.

"W-what? Princess, wait! But I thought you needed help with designing my suit!" she nearly hauled him out of her window with her strength alone, which surprised him, considering his lady was the only one capable of such, "But I just got here!" the window was promptly shut in his face and Chat scratched his head, not understanding what the problem was.

Did he pose wrong? No, he was sure he got that down to a 't'…

Did he upset her with his puns? He _swore_ he would lay off with the baking puns! He wasn't that good at them, he must have blown it!

He pounded on the window like a madman, "Purrincess! I'm sorry! _Purrhaps_ you would feel better if you _pun_ ish meow? PRINCESS!"

Marinette's face turned a new shade of red at the mental image of what "punishing" Chat Noir could possibly entail, and she buried her face in her hands and groaned.

 **Short and a bit sinful. I wish there were more fanarts of Adult!Chat ^^ Next chapter will be titled: "The Fanclub" ;)**


	37. The Fanclub

**ANSWERS TO REVIEWS:**

 **Hitomi-nya:** Yeah I did, I also read a few fanfics where Bridgette and Felix are mentioned alongside Adrien and Marinette. I thought the idea would be cool, but I'm not sure I would get their characterisations well XD

 **BDemon1995:** Thanks, glad you liked it :3

 **wolfrunnerable12:** And I loved your review :)

 **orangemacnc:** haha Yup! Hello to you too fellow Fairy fan! :D

 **Prompt: In which, Adrien/Chat Noir starts to notice he wasn't the only one vying for his princesses' attention.**

 **Rated: K+ - T**

 **NOTE: Apparently I failed to see a comic that has the same meme of "Chat Noir is watching" (I searched up and really, how didn't I notice it upon all the fanarts I've already seen XD) Thanks Kai19 for telling me about it, I got the idea from the general meme "I'm watching you" and replaced it with Chat's name. :3 But I will always write IF I use any comics or fanarts as inspiration for my fics! :)**

 **WARNING: SEASON 2 SPOILERS! NEW CHARACTER LUKA! SEASON 2 SPOILERS!**

* * *

 **The Fanclub**

"Hey," Adrien turned around and smiled, waving at the approaching boy.

"Hi Luka," he glanced behind him to see Nathanael, the shy redhaired boy smiling timidly, holding his sketchbook close to his chest, "Oh, hey Nathanael," he smiled.

The artist nodded, "Hi Adrien, Nino," he nodded towards the dark-skinned boy next to Adrien and the DJ grinned.

"I didn't know you know Nathanael," Nino teased the older boy, who chuckled.

"Juleka talks about her classmates, I know him from her stories but I never imagined what a great artist he really is," he smiled down encouragingly at the shy boy, "Did you guys see his drawings? They're amazing, I bet he would get an invitation to open his own art exhibit if he publishes them anywhere," he patted Nathanael on the shoulder and the boy flushed red.

"Uh, I don't really think that it's that good, um," he rubbed at the back of his head uncomfortably.

Nino smiled, "Come on dude, your art was always great! You were the best in art class too when we had it last year!" he gave him a thumbs up and the artist smiled timidly.

"And he has really cool drawings of Ladybug and Chat Noir too," Luka winked at the smaller male, who blushed in embarrassment.

Adrien rose an eyebrow, trying not to appear too interested above that of a fan's interest, "Really? Can we see? I'm sure it's great like all your other drawings," Nathanael seemed to hesitate but when he looked at the encouraging smiles his friends gave him, he finally relented.

In his haste to find the sketches with the superhero's on them, his other drawings fell from his grasp clumsily, sprawling unceremoniously to the floor.

Luka and Adrien almost simultaneously kneeled down to pick them up, followed by Nino a second later, "I-I'm sorry!" Nathanael quickly accepted the small stacks the boys gathered gratefully.

Luka smiled calmly, "It's alright Nath, all good-" he cut himself off mid-sentence, spotting a picture he thought looked very familiar.

When he pulled the picture closer to his face, a small smile played on the musician's lips, "Is that Marinette?" he scanned the great detail that was put in it, from the realistic dark blue strands of her hair up to the details on her shoes.

It looked nothing short of marvelous, showcasing not only Nathanael's true talent as an artist, but also the painted object's beauty.

The paper was suddenly taken away from him and Luka looked up to see Adrien looking over it curiously, "Yeah, it is," a smile lighted up his face and Luka's brow rose, "Wow, that's great Nathanael, I didn't know you drew our classmates too,"

Nino grinned, " _Yeah_ , Nathanael, we had no idea you drew _each and every one of us_ , right?" he rose an eyebrow expectantly and Nathanael blushed uncomfortably, the redness of his face clashing horribly with his fiery red hair.

"I-I, um, actually…" he bit his lip, "I only drew Marinette,"

All boys but Nino froze and Luka noted with interest how the artist's face only grew redder, "Really?" he hummed thoughtfully, rubbing his chin.

Adrien remained quiet, not quite knowing how to respond.

"So, you like Marinette, huh?" Luka chuckled, feeling slightly bashful, "Well, since one cats out of the bag, why not let the other one out too," he rubbed at the back of his neck, "I like Marinette too," his gaze softened, not noticing the stunned look Adrien gave him, "Honestly, what's there not to like? She's just this amazing girl, beautiful, smart, pretty funny and just really adorable." He smiled, feeling lighthearted.

Nathanael looked at the older boy and smiled, "Yeah…"

Nino coughed, trying hard to keep in the bout of chuckles that wanted to erupt from him when he gave his friend a sidelong look.

It looked like Adrien was malfunctioning.

"Dude, you okay?" Nino lightly punched his arm, but Adrien didn't react.

"Uh…yeah," he scratched his cheek, feeling Plagg nudging his side from within his shirt.

He frowned.

Nino grinned, "Well, I have to admit, I had a thing for Marinette too, but that was before I met the most amazing girl to ever walk the earth," he chuckled, thinking of his feisty reporter goddess.

Luka's eyebrows rose in surprise, "You liked Marinette too?"

Nino chuckled somewhat bashfully, "Yeah, it was a bit of a crush, dude. Nothing big, it went away after a week or two," he shrugged nonchalantly, "I guess Marinette is just really hard not to like," he laughed, immensely grateful the girls weren't within hearing range.

Adrien noted the look in the older boy's eyes, it vaguely reminded him of someone…

"What about you Adrien?"

Adrien froze, eyes shooting to Luka, "…What?"

"Did you ever have feelings for Marinette?" Luka's arms were crossed, he seemed slightly perplexed but not necessarily annoyed…maybe it was his imagination.

Wait… _what_?

Adrien's mind drew a blank, his lips moving before he could stop them, "Friend,"

"What?" Nathanael shot him a weird look.

Adrien quickly cleared his throat, "Uh, I mean, Marinette is just a really good friend,"

Why did it feel so _weird_ saying that? It didn't before.

And since when did his princess have so many suitors?

He hadn't pegged her for the type to have so many boys in line waiting…

Adrien decided it then and there.

Chat Noir would have to get involved too.

* * *

"I heard you were talking about my princess," Luka and Nathaniel turned to look at none other than Chat Noir, who stood with his arms crossed and an intimidating look on his face. He didn't look too happy.

Both boys stood up and Nathaniel shrunk in on himself, not too keen on facing the superhero's wrath, but Luka remained calm, smiling, "Princess? I'm sorry Chat Noir, but who exactly is your princess?"

Chat walked over to the two boys, the closer he got, the more Nathaniel hid behind Luka, who towered over the hero slightly, "Marinette,"

Luka rose an eyebrow, "Marinette?" and then, a smile broke out on his face, "Yeah…I guess 'princess' is a nice name for her,"

Nathaniel thought Chat Noir would strike them down where they stood, but instead the superhero did the complete opposite.

He fell to his knees, hands clasped together in a prayer, " _PLEASE LET ME JOIN THE FANCLUB! MY PRINCESS ISN'T DONE JUSTICE IF A REAL ADMIRER DOESN'T LET THE CAT OUT OF THE BAG ABOUT HER!"_ the cat sobbed over dramatically, clutching at Luka's pants leg.

Luka shared a look over his shoulder with Nathaniel, "I didn't know we had a fanclub but sure, why not?" he held a hand out to Chat Noir and the hero took it, dusting himself off, "I didn't know one of Paris' superhero's likes Marinette too. She's really amazing, huh…"

Chat 'tsked', "You have _cat_ to be _kitten_ me. She's not 'just' amazing, she's _amewzing_ , _purrfect,_ absolutely _clawsome!_ " Chat Noir grinned like the cat he was, "And she likes my puns,"

 _A little more than several hours later…_

Chat frowned, grabbing the pencil from Nathaniel and scribbling on the paper furiously, "No, no, no! That won't do at all!" once he was done with writing down what he intended, he held the large paper up for Luka and Nathaniel to see.

"Woah, that's amazing Chat Noir," Luka praised, "You're right, that's much better for Marinette,"

Chat sported a cocky grin, "Of course, only the best for my princess," he mentally hissed, _'And mine alone,'_

On the human-sized paper Chat Noir held, were several things written down.

Things the boys appreciated and adored about Marinette.

Things Marinette was good at.

And things Marinette liked.

Luka rose an eyebrow when he read the last point under ' _What Marinette likes',_ "Uh, are you _sure_ she likes that?" he pointed to the last bullet point and Chat huffed.

" _Of course_ she does, after all, how can she _not_ like my clawsome puns?" Luka stood up and took the pencil from Chat Noir, whose gaze narrowed at the teen, especially when he stepped away to show what he wrote.

Chat's tail lashed out from behind him, "… _Music?"_ he shot Luka a look.

The guitarist crossed his arms and smiled, "Yeah, she loves it when I play the guitar. Sorry, I didn't mean to _de-bass_ your comment," he suddenly smirked at the superhero, something playful yet competitive shining in his eyes, "After all, how can she not like my sound of my _beats_?" Luka smirked and Chat Noir felt his shackles raise defensively.

The game was _on_.

* * *

Marinette smiled as she saw Alya in the distance, waving at her in greeting until a black blur suddenly danced in front of her vision but as soon as she looked around, she saw nothing.

Marinette whirled around, trying to spot whatever had just jumped in front of her. Had it been a dog? No the creature had been far larger than a dog. Just what-

"Hey girl, we'll be late for class! Come on!" Marinette shook her head quickly before speeding up toward Alya.

"Hey Alya, did you see that thing that moved in front of me?" Alya gave her an odd look.

"I'm sorry, I looked at my phone for a second but what thing?" she rose an eyebrow but Marinette shook her head. Maybe she didn't get enough sleep last night.

"Nothing, sorry,"

Alya wiggled her eyebrows suggestively, "Is someone distracted by a certain guitarist lately?"

Marinette blushed uncontrollably, "A-Alya! Don't be ridiculous! Luka and I are just friends!" besides, it wasn't the charming guitarist that had invaded her thoughts, more like a pun-spewing, obnoxious cat that had meowled outside her window for the better part of the evening _just_ to be petted.

She would have to talk to Chat Noir about boundaries.

Luka watched the girls as they walked toward their class and he smiled, "Hey Ma-!" he froze, slowing his jog to a stop when he spotted what was plastered on her back.

On her back, there was a medium-sized white paper, big bold black letters written on it for everyone and anyone to see.

Subtly, Luka looked around the school building for any suspicious sightings of the black cat, but saw none. When he looked back at the paper on Marinette's back, a shiver raced up his spine.

 _Chat Noir is watching._

 **Luka vs Chat Noir? Lukanoir? Luchat? Chuka? Chaka? Oh shit, please let this not be a ship XD Upcoming chapter will be titled: "My Responisbilities" ;)**


	38. My Responsibilities

**A/N:** Two chapters on one day? Yes, yes certainly…I feel a bit on a Marichat roll so I hope you enjoy lovely readers! :D

 **Prompt: (from me) Marinette starts doubting herself about never being as good as her alter ego, but little did she know a certain cat thinks quite differently.**

 **Rated: K+**

* * *

 **My Responsibilities**

 _I trust you Ladybug._

 _Ladybug always knows what to do in every situation._

 _Ladybug will save us all, I know she will!_

 _Ladybug will save the day, just like she always does!_

 _I'm not afraid of some akuma, because I know Ladybug will save us in the end!_

Marinette clenched her hands into fists, sensing Tikki's presence behind her, "Marinette?" the kwami sounded worried and sad, but Marinette couldn't – didn't want to- talk right now.

"I'm sorry Tikki, but…I don't want to talk right now," there was a pang in her heart for saying those words, but she breathed a sigh of relief when she heard Tikki gently close the hatch.

And her thoughts assaulted her again.

 _Can you like, not be so clumsy all the time?_

 _Try being more like Ladybug!_

 _I'm sorry, Marinette's usually a bit on the clumsy side._

 _Well, it wouldn't be Marinette if she didn't trip or get late to class!_

 _Seriously Marinette, everyone idolizes Ladybug and tries to be like her, why can't you?_

Marinette grit her teeth, "But I _am_ Ladybug!" the initial anger in her eyes vanished in the next moment and she solemnly rested her chin on her hands on the railing of her balcony, "At least I think…" she sighed, long and hard as she gazed at the sky, bathed in the fading light of the sun and the darkening tones of the approaching night.

"Good day, princess," a soft voice reached her ears from behind her and Marinette's eyes flew open.

She whirled around, surprised to see Chat Noir standing there, looking worried, "Chat Noir!" her eyes quickly scanned her balcony, reaffirming her suspicions of Tikki still being inside, out of sight.

Then, her heart sped up nervously, "H-How long have you been standing there for?"

Had he heard what she had told herself? Had he heard the bit about Ladybug?

Chat Noir's ears flattened to his head uncharacteristically and he slowly approached her, "Not long," he looked down at their feet, "I saw an akuma flying around here somewhere, but it's gone now, I managed to shoo it away," his serious gaze met hers and Marinette suddenly felt too exposed in front of her partner, "Why are you upset?"

A chill ran down her body. Had she almost gotten akumatized? Had she almost been responsible for a catastrophe which not even Ladybug could save them from because of her insecurities?

Marinette buried her face in her hands, "An akuma-I, oh, I'm so, so sorry Chat Noir! I'm sorry, I didn't mean to get akumatized! I w-wasn't…it's just I was-" she tensed when she felt the familiar, strong but lithe arms of her partner, her kitty, wrap around her.

For some reason, it felt more intimate feeling the strength and warmth from his arms through her civilian clothes than it did through her suit, she couldn't explain the difference, she wasn't even sure if she was just imagining it. But…she felt closer to him.

She felt his hair gently tickle the side of her face and his warm breath hit her cheek, "Marinette," the use of her real name surprised her, coming from him. Usually it were pet names, or words of endearment, all things she hadn't ever paid much attention to but she sensed his seriousness when he used her name, "We're friends, right? Whatever it is that's bothering you, you can tell me. I'll listen, kitty promise," he rubbed his cheek against the side of her head and she felt a sense of warmth flood her at the sweet gesture.

Marinette sighed, feeling her body sagging against the reassuring tower of strength she knew was Chat Noir. For all his goofy behavior, bad puns and silly antics, he was serious when the situation called for it.

She felt his arms around her tighten and she closed her eyes, allowing herself what she usually always strictly allowed her alter ego: be comforted by Chat Noir.

It felt odd, being so close to the cat without the insistent feeling of duty and professionalism like a brick wall between them. He didn't know she was Ladybug, so in a sense, she had no duty, no _need_ to keep the professional distance between them.

She felt him rub gentle circles upon her back and it took her a split second to recognize the vibrations coming from his chest and the soft growling which sounded like from a motor were his purring noises. She remembered him using that tactic to comfort akuma victims, especially small children, since purring, as she learned through her partner, seemed therapeutic.

Now she understood why.

The subtle vibrations felt nice, the soft, soothing voice calmed her body and mind, and the added warmth from his body lulled her in a blanket of security, like she was shielded from the world, like nothing could possibly harm or touch her.

She never realized how much she needed that feeling until now.

When she felt Chat Noir try to pull away, she stubbornly clung onto him, refusing to face the reality of her troubles just yet, "Princess?" she could hear the confusion and worry in his voice.

She was thankful he managed to understand her muffled words as she mumbled into his shoulder, "Can I…just stay like this a little longer? Please?" it only took a second longer before she was enveloped in his arms again, this time she swore the embrace was tighter and he pulled her even closer.

She heard the soft purrs in her ear and she nuzzled the side of his head appreciatively, giggling when he nuzzled her back, like a big, cuddly cat.

Marinette didn't know how long they stood there for like that, but after a while she broke the embrace and judging from the way Chat Noir's hands gripped her waist just a bit tighter before falling away, she had the impression she wasn't the only one missing the contact.

Marinette looked into his eyes and found unconditional support, trust but also confusion in them, like he was desperately trying to help her and figure out what was wrong but needed her to tell him what was wrong.

It was dark around them, but the light from her room enabled her to still see him thankfully, "Thank you kitty…" Marinette wasn't sure if the heat she felt in her cheeks was from embarrassment of being so vulnerable around her partner or the cool night breeze hitting her previously warm skin that caused the reaction.

Chat smiled, "Anytime princess," he settled to lean against the railing behind him, arms loosely crossed as he watched her carefully, "Any time you're ready, I'm here,"

 _Anytime you're ready to talk_ , she knew what he meant and she had to smile.

Taking a deep breath, Marinette spoke, "It's just…" how was she going to talk about feeling insecure about her duties as Ladybug when she couldn't reveal who she really was? "A…friend of mine," she mentally cringed but continued on anyway, "She…she has a really important job and she loves doing it but, she sometimes feels like people only see her for her job and not for herself, the person I mean," Marinette played with her fingers nervously, "She told me all her troubles today and…I guess I sympathized with her and…got upset," she sighed, staring at her feet.

The atmosphere was silent, she was sure she could hear the wind softly breezing by, until Chat finally spoke quietly, "And…this friend, did she talk to anyone about it?"

She sighed, "No…well, with me today,"

Chat frowned, "I know the feeling actually," Marinette's eyes widened and her gaze fell on Chat Noir, who was looking at his feet, "Of messing up, not living up to your reputation, pretending to be someone you're not just to please people…feeling cornered to handle your duties," he shrugged, "If…that friend of yours, if she ever needs someone to talk to, she can _always_ come to me, I'll lend her a listening ear no matter the time of night, we cats are nocturnal animals after all," he offered her a soft smile, his gaze intense and meaningful as he spoke.

Marinette felt nervousness assault her, "But…what if…what if my friend doesn't want to bother anyone? What if she can't just… _talk_ about her job to just _anyone_?" Marinette frowned deeply, voice cracking, "What if…she's afraid she'll mess up and everyone and her friends will hate her for not being who she is in her job?"

Her hands were shaking at her sides and she barely noticed the pain in her palms from pressing her fingernails into her skin, until a gloved hand suddenly grabbed them and gently pried them open.

She froze, watching as Chat Noir gently pried her fingers open, one by one, revealing the small red indentations her nails left behind on her skin, "If your friend is afraid of everyone hating her for not being the same person she is in her job then, they're no friends at all." She watched the way, mindful of his claws, he traced the marks on her skin with his fingers gently, soothing the irritated skin, "I'm sure the person she is at her job and the person she is as a civilian are one and the same, just different sides to her personality. And if she can't see that, then her friends will just have to remind her what a great person she is,"

Marinette had remained frozen during Chat's speech, acutely aware of his weirdly burning touch on her skin, "And…I'll be there to remind her too," she lifted her gaze from their hands to look at her partner's face, who already had his eyes trained on her, expression soft and warm and open, "I'll tell her what an amazing person she is for doing the things she did, I'll tell her how clever she is to figure out a situation quicker than anyone else and save the day, I'll tell her how brave she is for standing up to Chloe and anyone else behaving unjustly to others, I'll also tell her how sweet and kind she is for helping everyone without expecting anything in return," she felt like she couldn't breathe, like she couldn't move, didn't _want_ to move.

She felt Chat wrap his larger hands around her own, gently but firmly holding them in the cocoon of warmth that were his hands, "And if she ever needs any reminders about what an amazing girl she is, she knows I'm only a cat's call away," he grinned, the care and warmth in his eyes shining.

Marinette felt moisture gather at the corners of her eyes, but she blinked them back stubbornly, "Oh kitty…" the hero, _her_ hero, smiled boyishly.

Marinette allowed herself to cross a line she always kept at a minimum as her alter ego, she hugged Chat Noir tightly and turned her head to kiss his cheek, the kiss lasting a few seconds longer to be considered entirely friendly.

Chat was frozen stiff in her arms, even when Marinette pulled away to beam a smile up at him, "Thank you so much Chat, I needed that," her eyes softened, her heart beating quicker than normal.

It seemed like he broke out of whatever trance that had taken a hold of him, he stared down at her in awe before he smiled, "You're welcome _purrincess_ ," he bowed, "A knight's duty is to protect his princess after all," he winked and grinned.

Marinette giggled, reaching a hand up to rub away at the tear that threatened to slid down her cheek, but she met Chat's hand already wiping it away, her hand frozen over his own on her cheek.

Her cheeks heated up and she was sure he could feel it through the material of his gloves, "Chat…"

His expression was off. Why was he looking at her even more intensely than he did Ladybug? Why was he so close? _Why_ did she feel so weird and tingly?

There was a warm smile on his face even as he moved closer, his breath ghosting over her lips, eliciting goosebumps all over her skin and she closed her eyes in anticipation.

She felt the soft, warm press of his lips against her skin, but her eyes opened when she realized it was at a different spot than she thought, _had hoped_ , it would be.

Chat Noir leaned away after tenderly kissing her forehead, his eyes soft when he looked at her, "Good night my lady," he grasped her hand gently in his and kissed the top of her hand.

Grabbing his baton, Chat Noir glanced at her one more time, "Remember, I'm always a cat's _meow_ away,"

Marinette smiled, hugging herself after he leaped off the balcony, spinning his baton and using it to jump over rooftops towards home.

"Thanks kitty…" she whispered into the night, feeling immensely better.

* * *

Adrien fell into a puddle of goo on his bed, feeling energized but tired at the same time.

His heart was _racing._

"Bleh, I don't get what the big deal is with you humans. Why can't things be so simple as eating camembert?" Plagg zoned from beside his head but Adrien felt he was practically vibrating from happiness.

"But don't you get it Plagg? _It is!_ " Adrien jumped up and scooped his kwami in his hands, who was about to take a bite out of his precious cheese, "My princess and my lady are the same person! And she _trusts_ me to comfort her and be there for her when she needs it!" a dreamy smile filled the entirety of the model's face, "And she _kissed_ me Plagg,"

The kwami grumbled, "On the cheek,"

"Longer than friends do," Adrien shot back, grinning like a cat, "I can't believe it…all this time…what do you think Plagg? Did she want me to figure it out? Was that why she said 'her friend' to not directly tell me it was Ladybug? That _she_ was Ladybug?" Adrien didn't wait for his kwami to answer, instead he flopped back down onto his bed, "This has to be the best night of my life." He smiled up at the ceiling, already missing his precious princess and lady in his arms.

Plagg sighed, "Humans," and munched on his camembert, hiding his satisfied smirk.

* * *

Tikki smiled, zipping this way and that over Marinette's head as the girl laid in bed, "Chat Noir was so sweet today, don't you think Marinette? And so considerate and thoughtful!" Marinette had a permanent smile on her face, gazing up at the ceiling, unknowingly, the picture of Adrien and Chat Noir in her mind fused together.

"Mhmm…he sure was Tikki," she smiled.

Tikki threw her hands up in the air, "And to think you were so clever as to tell him your identity without actually saying it! That was brilliant Marinette! I'm so happy you decided it was time! He seemed so happy when he left!"

Tikki's words barely registered to the half-dazed girl, still lost in thoughts about Chat Noir, until they suddenly hit her full force.

"…What?" Marinette blinked.

Tikki, oblivious to her charge's growing panic, continued chirping excitedly, "I can't believe another Black Cat and Ladybug will fall in love! I was hoping you were meant to be! You and Adrien would look so cute together too! I bet Plagg was secretly happy that too,"

Marinette's mind drew a blank, "…Adrien?"

"Just imagine how less awkward you will be around Adrien at school! I already noticed his Chat Noir side was showing sometimes, but I bet now that you both know, he will start bombarding you with all sorts of puns again!" Tikki stopped her rant, turning around to look at her star struck chosen, "Marinette?" she flew close to her face, gently tapping her cheeks.

"…C-Chat Noir is… _ADRIEN?!"_ the squeal that had erupted from her throat nearly knocked Tikki over.

"He _knows_ I'm _Ladybug_?! _Adrien is Chat Noir?! I kissed Chat Noir!_ I told him I was Ladybug?! _Chat Noir kissed me!_ …LADYBUG KNOWS CHAT NOIR IS ADRIEN?! I'M LADYBUG?!" Tikki quickly grabbed a cookie from the plate on Marinette's desk and stuffed it into the hyperventilating girl's mouth, effectively calming her down enough to chew on the pastry.

Tikki sighed, shaking her head, "Oh Marinette…"

Tikki was sure Marinette would get a visit tomorrow, either from Chat Noir or Adrien, but she also knew once Marinette was calmed down and taken care of, she would need to listen to Plagg's hour-long rants about how his ship had been the first to sail before hers did.

 **The end! Hope you all enjoyed it. Next chapter will be… "Balcony Scene". ;)**


	39. To the Rescue

**A/N:** Hi everyone! Currently writing on **"Dinner for Two"** so I may be late to update any prompts I haven't written yet, I'm sorry! Originally, this chapter was supposed to be "Balcony Scene" but I just… _had_ to write this one shot first, for whatever weird reason lol. Furgive me! :3

 **ANSWERS TO REVIEWS:**

 **Hitomi-nya:** I'm actually also supportive of Lukanette, I still ship Marichat and Adrienette and all but it's nothing bad if there's something new for a change :3 Heh, maybe I made him not so oblivious in that chapter, tbh it even surprised me lol

 **Yoitsu:** Haha thanks! I like writing hyperventilating Marinette scenes ^_^

 **Prompt: MamaMarinette can't catch a break when her children start a scene in public that alerts all of Paris! Aged up Marichat, Adrienette!**

 **Rated: K+**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

 **To the Rescue**

"Hugo!" Emma's ice-cream fell to the ground as the akuma approached the little girl as she screamed for her parent, shaking like a leaf.

Her brother leaped to her defense, wobbly on his feet but determination shining in his forest green eyes, "H-hey…g-get away from my sister!" he raised his little arms up in defense, but his shaking knees betrayed the fear he felt at the intimidating akuma before the two children.

The akuma scoffed, clearly annoyed by the two cowering children, "Tch, I didn't sign up to deal with little brats. I, Cementor, will gladly dispose of you if it means creating the spotless pavement Paris direly needs!" he aimed his large cement mixer, which seemed attached to his forearm, straight at the children, Hugo protectively standing in front of his sister to shield her as best as he could.

And then, a battle cry.

There was a blur of blue and black and a heavy, metallic object hit Cementor straight in the head, causing the man to crash into the nearest lamp post and groan out in pain.

A shadow passed over the two shivering children and Hugo hesitantly lifted his head to see what happened, "M-Mom?" his eyes widened.

Marinette, clad in her full civilian glory, the groceries abandoned next to her, stood protectively before her children with a rare, dark scowl on her face, fists at her side, legs apart and bent.

Emma sniffled, eyes wide at seeing her mother, "M-Mommy!" tears streamed down her cheeks and Marinette quickly leaned down on one knee toward her children to inspect them for injuries.

"Are you two alright? Did he hurt you?" there would be more than hell to pay if Hawkmoth even _dared_ to go so far as to touch _her_ children.

Hugo shook his head shakily, "W-we're fine, but w-woah, did you throw that metal? That was so- _Mom!_ " the wide look of horror on her son's face made Marinette turn back around.

Cementor was on his feet again, looking _angry._

His right arm, the one with the cement rotator, spun wildly, steam coming out of it steadily as the cement inside grew hotter and a look of rage filled the akuma's face, "I'll get you for that you-" and suddenly, the familiar butterfly symbol appeared before the akuma's face, momentarily making him freeze.

Marinette braced herself, wondering what would happen.

"Cementor, what are you doing?! I told you to get me Ladybug and Chat Noir's Miraculous, not hurting children!" Hawkmoth mentally added, " _Especially not my grandkids!"_ the cane in his hand was shaking profusely.

Cementor's will seemed to break even Hawkmoth's control, if only temporarily, "In order for them to come, I have to create a scene don't I?" Hawkmoth had no idea how ruthless this particular akuma would become. Sure, he was a recently fired streetworker due to his perfectionist tendencies costing the company too much money in order to cover for all the expenses the man made due to increased production costs in having an immaculate road that cost time and money.

Cementor roared in his rage, eyes zeroing in on Marinette and the two cowering children behind her, "Let's see if Ladybug and Chat Noir arrive if I try to cement you to the _ground!_ "

The rotator spun faster on his arm and Marinette, while lacking Ladybug's handy vision, looked around for anything to use as a weapon or shield until she could transform somewhere safely.

Her eyes zeroed in on a sewer lid, the same thing she had thrown at him earlier and she dived for it, quickly picking it up with her Ladybug strength and kneeling down to cover both herself and her children, bunching up her jacket in front of her hands to hold the handles of the sewer lid steady.

Hugo and Emma clung to her desperately as the full force of the hot cement hit their makeshift shield and Marinette grunted from the strain, the continuous, ferocious blast challenging her upper arm strength.

She could feel her jacket, which she used as a protective layer between her naked hands and the ever increasingly hot metal, beginning to heat up as well. She had to think quick, her children were endangered and she was running out of time.

She _had_ to get somewhere safe.

Her arms were shaking from holding the weight up for so long, especially while out of the suit and the burning hot sensation of her fingers nearly being burned off from the overheated metal finally made her drop the heavy lid, right before the stream of molten hot cement stopped.

It seemed like Cementor had run out of clay to play with.

Marinette quickly staggered to her feet, feeling Tikki buzzing nervously in her purse, ready to spring into action.

It was a race against time but she _had_ to do it. Quickly scooping up Emma and Hugo, Marinette raced in the opposite direction of where Cementor stood, expertly evading any obstacles in her way and maneuvering through cars and narrow alleys. Both her children clutched tightly to her and Marinette tightened her grip in response.

If _only_ he was here-

A loud crashing sound made Marinette pick up her pace, the sound closer than she had expected. Where could she run? Years of being Ladybug had honed her body to possessing qualities of an athlete, but she would be a fool to think she could match an akuma while in civilian form.

She needed to _transform!_

Quickly turning another corner, Marinette was met with a heart-stopping wave of liquid cement flooding through one of the other narrow alleys in the front, Cementor riding one of the upcoming waves. Another wave of cement blocked the alleyway from where they had come out from, blocking their only escape route.

Marinette's heart sped up.

"Show yourselves Ladybug and Chat Noir! Or do you want me to imprint these beautiful faces forever in stone?" he laughed and Marinette realized not even Hawkmoth was able to control his akuma anymore even if he wanted to.

She had nowhere to run and Marinette, for the first time in a few years, felt despair cling onto her heart like a miasma cloud. There were no more exit routes, she couldn't transform into Ladybug, her children's lives were in danger, her husband was out of town and-

Just as Cementor looked ready to launch another, final attack at the family of three, a large black blur zipped past them and Cementor's eyes widened when the rotator on his arm shattered as if made from delicate porcelain.

Marinette's eyes widened when she heard a loud, sharp hiss and in another instant, a shadowy figure stood protectively in front of them.

Her eyes brimmed with tears of relief, "Took you long enough kitty," she wiped away at the corner of her eye.

"Are you alright?" his ears stood ramrod straight and his tail flicked agitatedly behind him.

Marinette smiled, "Yes…we are now," she could feel Emma clutch tightly at her neck while Hugo's grip on her hand tightened.

Chat Noir's stance was stiff and hardened, every muscle in his body bunched up and tense, he looked ready to launch at the slightest sign of danger.

And he did.

The second Cementor stumbled to his feet, Chat Noir was on him, claws and staff and powerful blows barreling onto him like a tidal wave.

Toxic green eyes were the only thing he saw as he was brutally slammed against the brick wall behind him, his vision blurry, "You _dare_ try to harm _my_ family?" Chat Noir's teeth appeared in a quick display of intimidation and it rattled Cementor to his bones, the realization of his predicament fully settling in.

A hand was on Chat Noir's stiff shoulder and he was about to react on instinct until the familiar voice of his partner rang in his ears, "Easy kitty,"

He roughly released the akuma, and Cementor slid off the wall to the ground in a broken heap, not in any real danger, but not quite unscathed either.

Chat sure did a number on him.

Ladybug smiled, worry still shining brightly in her eyes from the ordeal from before, "Thanks for coming in the nick of time, you saved us, chaton," she whispered, and his expression finally softened when he looked at her, gaze scanning her figure for any visible injuries but she reassured him with a quick smile.

Chat Noir stepped aside to let Ladybug do her work and purify the akuma. He quickly turned around to spot the two children in the same spot their mother left them before she transformed, they still looked scared.

Hugo stepped in front of Emma protectively when Chat Noir approached, but when the superhero kneeled down on one knee and the children got a good look at his softened features, they relaxed.

"Don't worry, everything's alright _meow,_ " he grinned at the two, "Are you two hurt?" his tone turned serious again, once again letting his gaze roam over them to check for visible injuries.

Emma shook her head shyly from behind her brother's back, "N-no…m-mommy protected us," Chat's expression softened and he sighed, in relief.

Hugo's face scrunched up in worry, "Wait, where is she? She was here a minute ago! She said she would be back!" Chat Noir's hair stood on end seeing the little boy so distraught but he smiled calmly.

"Don't worry, your mother is fine, she'll be back here in a minute," his soft voice seemed to calm the two children.

He heard Ladybug's signature Lucky Charm and felt the powerful wave spread over Paris, cleansing and repairing all the damage the akuma and in extent, they did.

Chat Noir was disappointed the bruises hadn't stayed on the akuma victim, but the police would take care of the rest. That would need to be enough to thirst his need for revenge.

There was no time for their ritual farewell, after all her kids needed her.

* * *

Hawkmoth clenched his fist but slumped to the floor in relief when he saw nothing happened to either his daughter-in-law or his grandchildren, "Nooroo…we have to make a list,"

His kwami couldn't agree more.

* * *

After Ladybug disappeared, Marinette appeared from the same alley she had 'disappeared' to earlier to transform and she quickly kneeled down to tend to her kids, who immediately crashed into her arms in relief, sobbing quietly.

Marinette sighed, hugging them tightly. She shared a relieved, knowing look with Chat Noir, who smiled tenderly.

She mouthed a 'thank you' and his expression softened, the ears on his head drooping slightly.

They both stood now, Marinette brushing the last of the remainders of tears off her daughter's face, "Hey you two, it's alright, everything will be fine now," she pecked them each on the forehead tenderly and Chat smiled.

Emma suddenly cried out, "You were so cool mommy! How did you lift that metal up?" two pairs of big eyes looked up at her, one the green of their father and one her bluebell color.

Marinette smiled sheepishly, "Ah, well, mothers can do many things when their children are in danger you know?" she grinned and her children smiled.

Both children suddenly turned toward Chat Noir.

"Thanks for saving us Chat Noir!" the superhero smirked, kneeling down again to ruffle Hugo's messy blonde hair affectionately.

"Of course, just _purromise_ to stay out of trouble alright? Don't worry your mom like that," Chat shared a look with Marinette and the woman huffed with a teasing smile.

Emma seemed mesmerized by the superhero and Chat chuckled, taking her small hand in his and kissing her knuckles sweetly, "I hope the adorable _purrincess_ will stay out of trouble too?" he grinned.

Emma blushed prettily, hiding shyly behind her mother, "Mommy…why does he look a lot like daddy?" both adults froze.

"Uh…W-what? What are you talking about Emma?" Marinette giggled nervously.

Hugo peered up at the tall male curiously, "Hey…she's right mom…" at the proud age of six, Hugo took the role of protective brother seriously, and he prided himself in taking after his father, that also entailed recognizing his own father, even in a leather getup, "…Dad?"

Chat blanched.

"Daddy!" Emma sprung from her hiding spot behind her mother's legs and flung herself at Chat Noir, who expertly caught her in his arms safely.

"Uh, wait, kids-" Chat attempted to defend himself, try to diffuse the situation before they caused a scene, but it was too late.

The police arrived.

Oh, oh.

Officer Roger was the first one to report as usual, "Scout the area for any injured among the rubble!" what rubble? "Ah, Chat Noir, thank you for saving the day yet again," he tipped his hat to the hero and he nodded back respectfully to the older male, before he looked down at the distraught akuma victim, "You'll be causing no more trouble for a while," with that, several of his men apprehended the former akuma victim.

"I just wanted flat streets! Is that so much to ask?!" Cementor, or more precisely Clement Voiru, was not only Hawkmoth's latest victim, but also had a small criminal record.

Chat Noir pouted and Marinette recognized the expression, "Bad kitty," she chastised, knowing how much her partner wanted to punch the man some more, to be honest, she felt the same after having her children endangered like that.

Finally Roger noticed something off about the superhero, "Uh…I didn't know you had kids," he tipped his hat again, as if that would help improve his eyesight and both Marinette and Chat Noir flushed.

"A-ah, t-these aren't my kids sir, you see I just saved them from the akuma! Nothing much!" he laughed, gently setting down Emma but the little girl was still staring up at him with a pout.

Marinette giggled, "That's right, we are so thankful that Chat Noir managed to save us,"

Roger seemed to realize his mistake and he quickly apologized, "Oh! My apologies, I bid you a good day then!"

Both adults sighed once the police cars vanished and Chat Noir's ring beeped, "Oh, looks like it's time for a cat nap," he shared one last look with Marinette and a quick glance down at the kids, before preparing to leap into the air with the help of his staff.

A tug on his tail gave him pause and his eyes widened when he saw it was Emma who tugged on it.

Figures.

"Wait!" perplexed, Chat Noir kneeled down to be at her eye level, wary and intrigued what she wanted.

Shyly, with pretty pink cheeks, Emma got on her tip toes and gave a small sloppy kiss to Chat Noir's cheek.

Marinette had to cover her mouth with her hands to stifle her giggles but Hugo watched her from the corner of his eye, confused.

Chat Noir stared down at the little girl in astonishment, before he smiled fondly, "A kiss from the fair _purrincess_ , what honor!" he bowed gracefully, broad shoulders shaking slightly in barely suppressed mirth while the little girl giggled bashfully.

"Daddy always says that too whenever I kiss him!" Emma covered her blushing face and Chat stiffened.

"Ahh, your dad knows what he's talking about!" he grinned sheepishly, preparing himself for Plagg's relentless teasing when he detransformed, "Fair well citizens!" and he quickly bounded off.

Marinette finally let her giggles escape, failing to catch the confused looks from her children.

* * *

Adrien arrived home in the night, tired but relieved to be home. He dropped his suitcase quietly in the living room and took off his shoes and jacket, quietly making his way toward his children's room to see if they were asleep.

They weren't.

He knew because of the little snickers coming from the two small beds.

With cat-like reflexes, Adrien sneaked up on his son first, "Rawr!" Hugo quietly laughed with laughter, happiness radiating off him at seeing his father again.

"Dad! You're home!" arms and legs were wrapped around Adrien and the man chuckled, carefully settling his son back into bed, "You wouldn't believe what happened today!"

Adrien's green eyes twinkled in mirth, "Oh? What did happen?" while he was tucking his son in.

His daughter's voice reached his ears from her side of the room, "Chat Noir saved us today!" she sounded excited and that made Adrien grin.

Adrien chuckled, "Really? Wow. Do you like Chat Noir?"

Hugo grinned, "He's pretty cool! I know _Emma_ likes him!"

Adrien couldn't help but secretly fawn over the fact how _cute_ his little princess looked with her puffed up pink cheeks and little crossed arms, "Do not!"

"Do too!" Hugo stuck his tongue out.

"Do not!" Emma did the same.

"You said you wanted to maarryyy him!" Hugo laughed and Adrien rose an eyebrow in amusement.

Until his eyes widened in realization.

Wait, what?

Emma's whole face was red as she wrinkled the covers of her comforter, "W-well-y-you said you wanted to be like him one day!" she stuck her tongue out at her brother again.

Adrien sighed, shushing his children, "Shhh, now go back to bed, mommy is asleep by now," Adrien gently kissed his son's forehead before moving over to nuzzle and kiss his daughter's cheek affectionately, earning a giggle from her as she burrowed under the covers when he tucked her in.

"Good night Emma, Hugo," Adrien whispered quietly as he headed for the door.

His children whispered back, "Good night dad / daddy," with a fond smile, Adrien closed the door behind himself.

He sighed and stretched, hearing several bones pop and feeling several muscles ache from the akuma attack today. He might have overdone it with the third one after all.

Unbuttoning his business shirt, Adrien headed for the bedroom, quietly opening the door.

He knew she was awake the second he walked in, "Waiting for me?" he shed his shirt and pants, walking over to the bed.

Marinette smiled sleepily, "Always," Adrien smiled when he easily slid into bed next to his wife, gathering her up in his arms.

His hands immediately inspected her own hands, squinting hard in the dark to make out any burn marks or injuries. She giggled, "I'm fine chaton, lucky charm healed everything," she smiled at her husband's concern, "I was more concerned for how quickly our kids recognized you," she sighed, "All those times not even we recognized each-other…maybe it had something to do with Tikki and Plagg's magic?" the kwamis were sleeping peacefully in their little make shift beds, dead to the world after the stressful day.

Adrien shrugged, yawning tiredly, "Who knows…we could ask them in the morning," he pulled his wife flush to him, smirking when she cuddled close to him like a cat.

"I wanted to ask you something…"

Marinette opened an eye, listening.

Adrien bit his lip, "….Would you marry Chat Noir?"

Marinette, now fully awake, lifted her head from the crook of her husband's neck to look him square in the eye, "Are we sure lucky charm healed all the damage? Maybe something happened to your brain," she teasingly poked at his messy hair and Adrien gently captured her hand in his.

His gaze was dead serious, "Marinette, I'm serious,"

She laughed, "What brought on this question _chaton_?"

Adrien blushed to the roots of his hair and he coughed, "Uh…well…uh…" he pouted, "…Emma said she wanted to marry Chat Noir…"

Marinette burst into a fit of giggles against Adrien's chest and the man huffed, looking down at his laughing wife, "It's not funny,"

Marinette snorted, "Oh, of course it isn't kitten." She grinned widely up at him.

Adrien frowned, "Since when didn't she want to marry _me_ anymore?"

Marinette rolled her eyes, "Adrien, she is only six,"

Adrien's pout deepened, "But….but…even Hugo said Chat Noir was cool!"

"That's because superheroes _are_ cool honey," she tenderly caressed his cheek, "But nobody is cooler than mommy and daddy in the long run," she winked and Adrien relaxed, sighing.

"Besides, I think you need to talk to Plagg again in case it wasn't obvious – you _are_ Chat Noir, silly," she giggled.

Adrien huffed," Yeah, I know _that_ but…but…I thought I was _cooler_ than Chat Noir!" Adrien made a face and he hissed.

Marinette rolled onto her back, small giggles shaking her body as she tried to not embarrass her husband and laugh at him again.

After all, he had saved them today, he deserved a little _cat nap._

 **Bonus:**

"Um…Marinette, have you seen the news?" Marinette looked at her partner and husband, who was staring at the screen intently and she moved from her perch at the kitchen table toward him, the book she was reading in her hands as she also looked at the TV.

There was an announcement.

" _Paris is still recovering from the latest wave of akuma attacks, but we have a pressing report for all of Paris to see!"_

Marinette and Adrien leaned forward anxiously.

" _Who would have thought that Paris' superhero Chat Noir, Paris' resident cat and Ladybug's partner, has a family?!"_

Marinette's book fell from her hands.

 _"_ _A citizen recorded the private family moment right after the akuma attack. Chat Noir was holding a little girl in his arms, who seemed far too comfortable for him not to be in some way related to her. Not to mention, the mother of the children appeared to be none other than Marinette Dupain-Cheng, daughter-in-law of Gabriel Agreste! What could this mean?!"_

Staring blankly at the screen for several long moments, Adrien cleared his throat.

"…Why is even the public shocked that you wouldn't marry Chat Noir?" he crossed his arms with a pout.

Marinette groaned.

…I have this weird urge to write fluffy family moments…like pregnant Marinette doting Adrien/Chat kind of fics… :3 Thanks for reading!


	40. Feral

**A/N:** Ugh, apologies everyone, "The Balcony Scene" takes me much longer to write than I originally thought and other ideas seem to be popping into my mind instead, I hope it's not too much of a problem if I write them until I finished "The Balcony Scene". Forgive me dear readers! T_T

 **ANSWERS TO REVIEWS:**

 **MJ:** Thank you so much for the kind words! :3

 **Prompt: Marinette rarely left her windows open, but one night she did and she didn't regret one bit what the cat dragged in…or rather what she got dragged into. (Older! Marichat!)**

 **Rated: T-M-ish (M because I'm paranoid)**

 **WARNING: HIGHLY** **SUGGESTIVE SCENES AHEAD! MINORS BEWARE PLEASE! SUGGESTIVE SCENES!**

* * *

 **Feral**

"Good night Tikki," Marinette smiled softly at her kwami, watching as the little goddess settled in for the night.

"Good night Marinette," she chirped happily before her chosen turned away to head for the bathroom to change.

Marinette didn't remember turning the lights off before she went inside the bathroom, she also didn't remember Tikki leaving the room either.

But she remembered she left the window open.

Rubbing at her bare arms, Marinette quickly strode towards her window and closed it shut, skin raised in goosebumps at sudden rush of cool night air, "T-Tikki, I'm so sorry I forgot to close the window!"

No response.

"Tikki?" Marinette's eyes narrowed, trying to make out the shape of her kwami from somewhere in the void of darkness that was her room. She blinked furiously, trying to make her eyesight adjust to the sudden change of light, "Tikki?" she called out again, worry seeping into her tone.

Marinette wasn't sure what she had expected, but the sudden creak from somewhere behind her made her jump and whirl around.

Nothing.

"Alright, Tikki, I thought we're going to sleep," her kwami was known to be a tad playful and mischievous, like a certain black cat, but she didn't think Tikki was up for a game of hide and seek this late into the night.

Her gaze narrowed when she heard muffled movement from behind her but again when she turned, Marinette saw nothing. Carefully navigating her way through the darkness, Marinette tried to search for the light switch until a sudden, bone-chilling realization hit her.

Tikki could fly.

So why did she hear muffled noises on the _floor_?

A low growl sounded from behind her, far closer than Marinette expected and she mentally cursed her uncharacteristically bad luck tonight.

How had she not heard him _before_?

She had felt the change in atmosphere the minute she had stepped into her darkened room.

It was charged, like a tightly coiled rope about to snap and she felt the buzzing of energy in the air.

She felt electrified, knowing she was trapped.

In _his_ game.

A game of hide and seek, of cat and mouse.

Marinette closed her eyes, instead focusing on her other senses to try and detect his location. She knew he was in her room, she felt his eyes on her, all over here and it caused tremors to wreak her body and her mind was in a haze she didn't know how to get out of.

"Cold?" clawed fingertips gently touched her bare arms and her breath hitched sharply in her throat.

"Y-yes," she replied without thinking and he gave a low chuckle.

The sound made her shiver.

"You shouldn't leave the windows opened _purrincess_ ," the endearment was a low husky purr, filled with intent, with dark promises and hidden agendas, "Who knows who or what may come into your room,"

He was deliberately teasing her, running just the tips of his claws lightly against her arms, the outbreak of goosebumps on her skin growing even worse and she felt herself suddenly burning up, despite only wearing the thin nightgown she wore.

She snorted softly, trying to will her voice to remain calm, "You're right, I forgot about the nosy cat sometimes visiting me. I should lock the windows next time," she smiled, "But…I think I'm _purrfectly_ safe," a low groan escaped him and she giggled, but her giggle was abruptly cut off as her breath sharply caught in her throat from the warm gust of hot air upon her bare neck.

She shivered, "Hm, here and I thought my princess would be so responsible to dress more warmly,"

 _Oh_ , her sudden eruption into goosebumps and trembling flesh had _nothing_ to do with the sudden drop in temperature in her room and the damn cat knew that _very well._

Marinette tried to regain some of her control, tried to not let him get the upper hand, but in a dark environment with close to no source of light, the clever cat definitely had that small advantage.

Except, she knew her own room and he didn't.

The minute she felt just the tips of his claws barely touch her arms, she moved.

With Ladybug speed, Marinette expertly evaded her desk chair, which her partner promptly ran into, she heard the short scuffle of the wheels of her chair sliding across the floor, she also heard his lowly muttered curse as he fussed over his toe and she couldn't help but feel smug.

That, however, had only lasted a second before she felt his presence again, right at her back.

He was like a tall, looming shadow, following her every movement, calculating and anticipating her next step- just like a lion ready to pounce on his prey.

Ladybug never allowed herself to _not_ have the upper hand in battle, but the dynamic was slightly different with Marinette, if only slightly.

Especially that _stupid_ cat that just seemed _so_ smug at the entertaining thought of catching her off guard and having the upper hand.

Despite knowing who her partner was, him being in his superhero outfit had a slightly different… _aura_ to it. Not that she didn't equally appreciate and love him as his civilian self, but there was just something positively… _exciting_ about the thought of her tall, smart and handsome boyfriend in his leather, superhero suit starting a interesting twist of cat and mouse.

And she knew he had similar thoughts to this, if the way his speed increased and his movements grew slightly more desperate to finally catch her were any indication at all.

She moved only when he was very short of catching her, slipping away from the tips of his fingers a hair's breath away and she could feel the slowly mounting frustration at failing to catch her with every attempt she managed to dodge.

She enjoyed seeing her usually composed, gentle boyfriend unravel like this, even if she couldn't see him well, she could tell what he must be feeling, because she was feeling the same, but she would be damned if she gave up without a fight.

He had made it harder for her to continue the game, increasing his speed, using his flexibility and agility to preform acrobatic movements in the air which made her briefly lose his location and in those precious seconds he had managed to slip continuously closer in her range and nearly catch her off guard. The wildly beating rhythm of her heart made her feel more alive than ever, the thin sheen of sweat of anticipation on her skin made this so much more real and stimulating.

It was the thrill of the hunt that made them both tether on the edge, him more so than her, he resembled his feline companion in more ways than even she had realized.

She was promptly caught off guard, slightly lost in her thoughts and the suffocating atmosphere, that she failed to dodge his next attack.

Strong arms encased her against an equally strong chest and she inhaled sharply, instinctively struggling to get free, causing his arms to tighten around her midsection and his warm breath to hit her ear, his voice uncharacteristically low, "Caught you," his words made a pleasant shiver cascade down her entire body in small waves and a dark smirk curled his lips as he felt it.

"Breathe kitten, you're panting already," a dark chuckle made her flush and she struggled to shoot a snarky remark back but a sudden movement on his part made her freeze pleasantly.

One hand that had been curled around her stomach, slowly moved from its original place, sliding slowly over her arm and up to her neck, fingers gently but firmly grabbing her jaw and tilting it to the side.

The room was dark, nearly devoid of light except from the moon outside, but she could clearly see the nearly glowing green, silted eyes watching her.

Pupils dilated, there was a hungry, dangerous gleam in them that made a shiver rush from the top of her head all the way to the ends of her toes and it made her feel hot underneath the thin fabric she wore.

She was sure Chat Noir had felt it too, if the insistent way he had her pressed against himself was any pointer.

She smiled, "Heh, t-took you long enough to catch me, kitty," she was glad her voice was relatively normal, except for the mild breathlessness from their little chase earlier.

His however, while usually comforting and sweet, was now making her positively melt into a puddle of goo, "What can I say, I was distracted by the _purrfect_ view,"

Oh. Marinette had forgotten about her scantily dressed state. In her defense, she hadn't prepared for an impromptu chase in her room, "Y-you caught me off guard,"

Another chuckle and her toes curled, just _how_ did he have that effect on her? "Mhmm…" a sensual purr that made her knees wobbly, "You're trembling, m'lady, could it be because of _meow_?" she could practically _hear_ the smirk in his voice and it made her acutely aware of how her body was trembling in the smallest of shivers.

Damn him.

The hand still gently, carefully curled around her neck moved, a single claw gently tracing the side of her jaw and for the life of her Marinette never knew how _hard_ it was _not to move!_

Just _where_ was Tikki?!

"As i-if, don't go getting any ideas now k-kitty," mildly peeved at her stuttering, she gasped aloud when she felt her boyfriend's body giving a slightly different reaction than just increased body heat and it made her jolt in surprise and squeak.

Chat inhaled, as if a physical blow made him lose his breath, but he quickly regained his composure to whisper naughtily into her ear, "Heh, too late for that princess," she didn't expect the hot, wet tongue to trace her earlobe, nor did she expect the surprisingly pleasant sensation of his claws barely pricking the shivering skin of her stomach, taut with tense muscles, tense in anticipation.

This cat would be the _death_ of her, "Aren't we getting a little too ahead of ourselves _chaton_?" two could play at this game as Marinette purposely lowered her voice into a sensual purr, turning her head so the tip of her nose reached his defined jaw and traced it with the barest of contact.

A low, guttural growl vibrated within his chest and she felt it the sensation against her back, as his grip around her tightened and his hot breath came in short, quick pants, "Princess…" his messy hair tickled the side of her face as he leaned forward to rest his forehead on her bare shoulder, "You'll be the death of me," came the low moan against her overheated skin.

 _Her?_ The death of _him_?

Ha.

A sharp hiss escaped him when his minx of a girlfriend shifted, and his grip moved quickly to her hips, " _Don't move,"_ came the guttural command and Marinette felt a small smile creep onto her flushed face.

"Getting a little _flustered_ now, chaton?" her voice was full of teasing and he would have to remedy that.

Within seconds, she was in his arms and her small squeak of surprise made his broad shoulders shake with restraint laughter when he gently laid her down on her bed, "And you call _me_ the tease, _cherrie_ ,"

From her admittedly pleasant view of him towering over her, the small source of moonlight from outside made her see just enough to recognize his handsome features and she wasn't sure if that was a blessing or a curse.

His roguish grin stretched over his lips when he noticed her heated examination, "Checking _meowt_?" she swore black cats were little devils incarnate.

She huffed, "In your dreams Chat," she stuck her tongue out at him but promptly closed her mouth when he leaned down, the same heated, _hungry_ look in his eyes.

When he spoke, it was all sharp teeth, " _Purrcisely_ princess," her face flushed uncomfortably hot and he chuckled at her cute reaction, tracing a claw down the side of her burning cheek, "For having the powers of bad luck and destruction, I sure got lucky to have you," the look changed in his eyes and she realized it hadn't changed, but intensified, because her chaton _always_ looked at her like she was the center of his whole world.

Now wasn't different and it made her heart swell with her strong feelings for him, "Oh chaton, you sly cat," he smiled and nuzzled his nose affectionately against hers.

"Only _furr_ you," the sweet words made her giggle.

Marinette smirked, "How about you show me _purrcisely_ what you mean?" she quickly realized how her plan of gaining the upper hand backfired on her when she found her hands suddenly pinned above her head.

The same dark look was in his eyes as his messy blond hair slightly fell into his gaze, trained intently on her as he licked his lips with a grin, "Don't bite off more than you can chew princess," the devil said as he traced his teeth along her neck.

When Marinette opened her misty eyes to look up at Chat, she swore she saw something positively _feral_.

 **The end, hope you all enjoyed! :3 P.S. I'm really sorry if its cringey, I'm really not good at writing such things (embarrassed giggle) ^^**


	41. My Responsibilities - Sequel

**A/N:** Requests take priority over my own ideas, which is why I filled out a new request today. I hope to follow it up with the Balcony Scene chapter soon! :D

 **ANSWERS TO REVIEWS:**

 **Tempest5221:** Aw, thanks! I really actually suck at writing suggestive scenes, so the positive feedback took me by surprise :3

 **Marichat4evaaaa:** haha Thank you so much for your lovely reviews, they made my day! :3 I'm really glad you liked the chapters so far, I hope this is what you imagined when you wrote the request for the sequel to Chapter 38. Feel free to tell me if I should change/improve something! :D

 **Prompt: Continuation of Chapter 38: "My Responsibilities" Fluff ensues! MORE Adrienette than Marichat really…**

 **Rated: T**

* * *

 **My Responsibilities - Sequel**

"Kid, at least try not to float off the ground would ya?" Plagg grumbled from the inside of Adrien's shirt, rolling his eyes at the radiant aura the boy was expelling.

Adrien grinned far too widely to be considered "normal", "I can't help it Plagg!" he whisper-shouted to his kwami, careful to keep his voice low, "My lady and princess _are the same person!_ What did I do to get so lucky?!" stars were in his eyes and Plagg sighed.

Today would be a long day, he knew.

Adrien tried to school his features into a calm smile, but he couldn't help the shit-eating grin when he spotted Marinette in her seat – unusually early. Directing his beaming smile towards Nino and Alya, Adrien only had eyes for his princess, "Good morning everyone!" he was sure he seemed a bit too suspicious, but the happiness in his heart couldn't be squished no matter what, not even through multiple akuma attacks today.

Marinette's face was immediately on fire and Adrien finally understood her previous reactions toward him. It wasn't that she had been avoiding him or behaving nervously around him because she had disliked him, it was because maybe – just _maybe_ she felt the same way, if last night had been anything to go by.

When he sat down and turned around in his seat to flash a bright, kind smile at Marinette, which, now that she looked closer, undoubtedly _screamed_ Chat, he could finally see the striking resemblance to her alter ego.

The hair, the eyes, the smile, her quick thinking, her fearlessness when dealing with akuma attacks (which he always found a little odd for a civilian) and just… _everything_.

And he noticed she was staring too.

Probably trying to piece his Chat and Adrien persona together and see the similarities just like he had. He couldn't help it, he had to chuckle and flash a typical Chat grin, wide and all teeth, "I can't believe what a hot day today is, you've _cat_ to be _kitten meow_ ,"

His eyes shot towards bright blue to look for a reaction and he could see she was physically withholding from instinctively reacting to the familiar puns, how he'd never noticed this before, he had no idea.

Nino shot him a look while Alya looked back and forth between her unusually calm friend, "Dude…not again, I thought I said the ladies didn't like puns," he sighed playfully.

Adrien couldn't help but grin like the cat that got the canary as his gaze quickly locked with Marinette, "Well… _purrhaps_ some of them not, but I know someone who does," he grinned cheekily. He knew he was behaving completely out of the norm, he knew he was probably scaring his friends, he also knew there may be newsflashes of the sunshine model boy having a knack for puns coursing through the media some time soon, but he couldn't _help it._

 _She was right there!_

 _And she was fighting down a smile!_

Adrien felt his heart swoon.

He seriously had no idea how he didn't figure it out before.

* * *

Marinette hadn't had a wink of sleep. Partly because she was half-expecting for Chat- err, _Adrien_ , no _Chat_ ….her _partner_ to visit her again in the middle of the night and tell her that what Tikki had said was absolutely crazy and _totally not true_ , and partly because she thought staying awake as long as she could would somehow change the reality of what had happened.

The question was did she _want_ the past events to change?

No, no she didn't.

Marinette wasn't always honest with herself, but this time she had to be. She couldn't believe her pun-spewing, adorable and brash kitty was also the calm, collected and sweet Adrien.

And suddenly, her mind brought her to a distant memory in the past, when she had been writing in her diary one day.

 _In a world without Adrien, I might give Chat Noir a chance…_

She had never realized that she didn't need to choose, that her heart wasn't conflicted over two guys – one her longlasting crush on a boy so far out of her league and the other her precious partner and dear friend whom she started to feel for _more_.

Marinette was _happy_ but-

Oh no.

"I can't believe what a hot day today is, you've _cat_ to be _kitten meow_ ," Adrien's grin, now the longer she focused on it, reminded her every bit of the Cheshire grin her feline partner mostly wore.

How was she so _stupid?_

Almost immediately, the nearly instinctive impulse of giving a witty comeback or a playful pun herself threatened to overwhelm her and Marinette had to physically hold her mouth discreetly with her hand to stop herself from accidentally saying something out lou-

"Hellooo earth to Marinette!" Alya waved her hand in front of her face and Marinette tore her eyes away from the far too familiar, captivating eyes of her partner, classmate, friend-something- _more_ to focus on Alya.

The girl looked more than a little suspicious, "What's gotten into you? You've been spacing out for a while there," she shot Adrien a quick look before leaning in to whisper, "And you hadn't exploded or fallen into a puddle of goo when sunshine child talked or smiled at you," she thought about the pun Adrien had said while looking at Marinette with a suspiciously large grin, "And you didn't die when he grinned at you like he won the lottery, just what's going on? Did something happen?" she smirked, watching from the corner of her eye how Nino was trying to get similar information out of his friend.

Marinette quickly shook her head, "N-no, I- no! I don't know what you mean A-Alya! Nothing happened!" her eyes briefly shot toward Adrien, who, very briefly, smirked at her and a small glare settled onto her features, trying to telepathically tell him that they were both behaving too much like their alter egos for anyone _not_ get suspicious, "B-besides, I uh, I-I was just so um, s-shocked when Adrien came and I uh-"

Suddenly, it was much harder for Marinette to act like her usual shy, nervous self around her crush. Why? Because her crush was at the same time one of her closest friends, a friend she had fought alongside with for a long while now, a friend she came to know on a deeper level outside of fighting, out of her mask, a friend she, until a half a year ago, had started considering as something _more_ than just a friend.

"Marinetteeee!" Alya grew frustrated at her dazed friend, snapping her fingers in front of her face to get her attention, while a certain blond was discreetly looking at them to gauge their interactions.

Marinette jumped, "S-sorry!" she held up her hands apologetically.

Alya sighed deeply, "There's the Marinette I know, still you're acting weird girl," she gave her a last side-long glance before she turned around to pay attention at the arrival of Mme Bustier, "We'll talk about this _later_ ," she whispered, promise filling her eyes.

However, despite the classes dragging on, two individuals couldn't seem to pay any real attention to it, all the while thinking the same thing.

 _I can't believe I was so blind!_

And then, the akuma alert went off on all of their phones and almost as if it was routine – Marinette and Adrien shared a shaky, knowing glance with each-other, uncertainty still reflected within their eyes as Mme Bustier directed her class outside to safety.

They were the first ones to shuffle out and slip away from the rest, unnoticed.

This had been the first time they were trying to find a hiding spot _together_ , all the while not saying a single word as they finally rounded the corner of their school building, away from prying eyes and ears and coming to a stop.

The gravity of their situation settled in and they both looked at each-other. Despite Adrien's earlier bravado, he seemed a little lost now, with an akuma out on the loose ( _just where was Chloe?)_ and their only recently discovered identities facing each-other.

They had to act, they had a job to do, but for some reason, none of them moved.

A black blur zipped out of Adrien's shirt and in-between the stunned duo, " _Ugh_ , you're making me sick, humans and their _cheesiness_ ,"

A red blur flew out of Marinette's purse and glared at her counterpart, "Plagg! You promised you wouldn't tell!" Tikki was slowly floating closer to the cat kwami and Plagg had fear written all over his face.

"I-I swear I didn't say anything Tikki! You have to believe me!" Plagg quickly flew behind the protection of Adrien's shoulder, "The kid figured it out himself, surprisingly!"

Adrien glared down at his kwami while Tikki crossed her arms, a similar expression on her face as Plagg said, "Besides, how does _your_ chosen know who my kitten is? I'm pretty sure he hadn't said a word last night!" uncharacteristic heat filled the red kwami's cheeks.

"T-that…I…" oh no, it was _her_ that had broken her own rules this time, not the stupid god of destruction as was the norm.

Plagg stuck his tongue out at her as he cackled, "HA! _See?_ Who's a rule-breaker now, huh bug?" he grinned, floating forth from behind his makeshift shield to cross his arms smugly.

Tikki frowned, "Plagg-"

Suddenly, two voices interrupted the kwami pair, "Um…I hate to interrupt but…shouldn't we transform?" Marinette and Adrien both shot each-other looks and Tikki heeded her chosen's words.

"The akuma! Right!" Tikki looked ready for battle and even Plagg's ears perked up in interest.

Marinette stared down at her feet shyly then as Adrien looked at her, "I…I hadn't meant to…" she bit her lip, "I'm…glad you figured it out but… _are you_?" Marinette's whispered words made a reassuring smile settle on Adrien's features as he rested a warm, familiar hand on her shoulder.

His gaze softened, "Of course, m'lady, I wouldn't have it any other way," he grinned gently, before he looked away sadly, his voice quiet, "…Are you?"

For a brief moment, none of them said anything as their kwami's watched in silence, until a gentle hand on his forearm caught Adrien's attention. Marinette's smile was genuine and a reassurance shone in her eyes, Ladybug's, his princess' eyes, "Of course, kitty,"

Adrien smiled warmly and Marinette mirrored his expression, both simply gazing at each-other, drinking in each-other's familiar features, until a loud, " _KISS!"_ made their heads whip around to the culprit.

It was none other than Plagg, currently shushed vehemently by Tikki, who tried closing her little paws over Plagg's mouth to shut him up and not interrupt the scene, "Umm…sorry," she grinned sheepishly.

Heat shot to their cheeks, but at the sound of a distant crash and the screams of Paris' citizens, all bashfulness and shyness was forgotten.

It was time to transform.

Sharing a meaningful, serious look with one another, they both nodded.

"Plagg-"

"Tikki-"

"Claws out! / Spots on!"

With a flash of red and green, Ladybug and Chat Noir stood in the place of Marinette and Adrien and once again, the heroes took a moment to just gaze at each-other.

Ladybug took out her yoyo while Chat Noir readied his staff, "Ready princess?" he grinned and adopted a stance.

Ladybug smirked and took one of her own, "As I'll ever be, kitty,"

With practiced movements, they were on the scene in minutes, their teamwork and synchronization oddly even more smooth than all those other times they've fought together and both superheroes couldn't help but think that, maybe the knowledge of fighting side-by-side with the person they both cherished and held so close to their heart was the same person they had tried so hard to keep their distance from romantically.

But now it all made sense and the burdens from their hearts were finally lifted. Ladybug felt lighter, faster on her feet and Chat felt more powerful and agile in his attacks, perfectly moving in sync with his lady and adjusting accordingly.

They finished the akuma off quicker than either of them expected and with a final call of Lucky Charm to fix everything, they quickly fled the scene, together, to detransform.

* * *

It was the peaceful scene of watching their kwamis eat and recharge that prompted Adrien to finally speak after the akuma attack, "I mean it Marinette, I'm really glad it was you," when she looked into his eyes, she saw nothing but the truth and she expected no less from her kitty.

Marinette smiled shyly, "I'm…really glad too Adrien. To think not too long ago I was freaking out over liking two guys that was actually one and the same…" she giggled, "I can't believe my luck,"

Adrien smiled warmly, gaze softening as he scooted just a bit closer to her on the ground, "You took the words right out of _meow_ mouth, m'lady,"

Marinette shot him a playfully annoyed look, "Careful kitty, Alya is already suspicious of how we acted today, we have to keep the banter at a minimum until they get used to the idea of our civilian halves becoming more than friends,"

Adrien smiled giddily, "Yeah, Nino is too, he kept thinking I was going crazy from the heat of the sun," he chuckled, until heat flooded his cheeks again, "Uh…m-more than friends?"

Marinette's eyes flew open and she slapped her hands to her face, trying to hide herself from him, "A-ah, I-I'm so sorry! I d-didn't mean to uh, to jump to c-conclusions and-"

Two warm hands gently pried her own away from her face and her vision was filled with warm, laughing green eyes at her. Adrien's voice was low but clear as day, "You've made me the luckiest cat in the world princess!" he grinned, chuckling despite the blush on his cheeks.

Marinette smiled shyly, giggling along with him, "And you've made me _purrety_ happy too kitty," she giggled and Adrien froze before her.

His eyes, those so very familiar Chat eyes, were filled with happy tears as he tenderly held her hands clasped in his, "You _punned_! I can give up all my nine lives for this!"

They both laughed, unaware of the knowing smiles on their kwami's faces as the two magical being shared a triumphant look of their own.

 **Hope you enjoyed it! Thank you for reading everyone. :3**


	42. On Speaker

**ANSWERS TO REVIEWS:**

 **Bakubakura:** Aww thank you so much for the sweet compliments! (bows) I thank you kohai :3 haha I've never been called 'senpai' before ^^ Oh uh, thanks (blushes) I'm not that good compared to the rest of the amazing writing community, I still have a lot to learn so there's that, but thanks for the genuine compliments anyway :)

 **Marichat4evaaa:** (grins) Ah no problem! Thanks for making that request, if you have anymore ideas just write them! :3

 **RoseMP:** Thanks! I don't have much experience writing smut/lemons, so my first attempts may be a disaster ^_^

 **UMakeMeSick:** (sweat drop) (sending virtual peace hug) I'm sowwy! But I hope my other one shots will cheer you up!

 **Yumm:** haha Then you'll like Chapter 40 "Feral" ;)

 **Prompt: Marinette is at work and decides to call Chat Noir…unfortunately, she puts him on speaker.**

 **Rated: T**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

 **On Speaker**

Marinette sighed, tapping her pencil rapidly against the side of her head.

The improvised dress the model was wearing looked like someone emptied a beanbag of its contents and stabbed holes in it for her head, arms and legs. She looked positively ridiculous.

Marinette wasn't even sure who designed that dress, all she knew was she had to improve and if needed recreate the whole dress for a fashion shoot tomorrow and it was already six in the afternoon. Her shift was supposed to end over an hour ago and yet here she was brainstorming for ideas with the rest of her team.

She wondered where her boyfriend was…

Excusing herself from her colleagues, she quickly dialed her boyfriend's number, deciding to put him on speaker just so Alya could be satisfied with asking him whatever question she had in mind. The reporter had been oddly giddy the entire day, constantly trying to convince Marinette into calling Adrien.

Well…

 _Beep Beep. Bee-_

 _"_ _Hello purrincess!"_ giggling at the energetic greeting, Marinette could hear the rushing wind in the background.

Was he out as Chat Noir?

She mentally slapped herself, " _Right, patrol. I told him I would work later today so he must have gone on ahead,"_ she had to remember to thank him when she got home.

Her co-workers smiled at the affectionate greeting, some staring at their sketches and drafts, others looking at her phone and actively listening to the conversation.

Marinette smiled, "Hey Adrien, I'm sorry if I'm bothering you but Alya said she wanted to ask you something. I have you on speaker so behave," she knew how her boyfriend's more… _daring_ side could come out while in costume, she really hoped he would keep that in mind.

The god of all kwamis must be frowning down upon her this very instant, a low chuckle came and some of her female colleagues' eyes flew open at the husky, masculine sound, looking visibly flustered, " _Or what purrincess? Will you spank me or I get to be on top?"_ the smug snicker immediately died right after Adrien had uttered that sentence and silence filled the whole room.

Marinette's face froze into a blank expression, redness spreading all the way to the roots of her hair.

 _That damn cat!_

Alya leaned forward to talk near her phone, "We can all hear you tiger, save the dirty talk for the bedroom!" her best friend shot her a saucy smirk, her eyes telling Marinette that she wanted to hear all the juicy details as soon as they were out of the office.

Her female co-workers looked like they would either sink through the floor or melt into a puddle of goo while the males appeared downright uncomfortable.

She was going to kill him.

Deactivating the speaker function, Marinette stonily pressed her phone against her ear, "Let's hope you're on a roof I didn't know yet because I'm going to throw you off one as soon as I find you _kitty_ ," she whispered to him before hanging up, trying hard to concentrate back on designing the dress and ignoring the heated whispers of _'it's always the quiet ones'_ at the back.

* * *

Chat Noir held his baton limply in his hand, face red and frozen on the spot.

He nearly fell of the roof after composing himself, his entire face red and his ears flattened against his head, "…..Oh, oh,"

Marinette herself was a force to be reckoned with, one he desperately tried to annoy as rare as possible.

But Marinette with _super Ladybug strength and speed and agility and her deadly yoyo_ made his fur stand on end and his skin crawl and-

Chat turned robotically around, swinging from roof to roof, muttering to himself, "Would she follow me into the Seine if I jumped inside?" thoughts of how long he could hold his breath underwater and if ladybugs hated the liquid coursed through his mind as he envisioned avoiding his premature death at the hands of his girlfriend.

 **Inspiration: My own experiences - calling a friend after her (** ** _adorable_** **) nickname: "pedoflower" while she was at her internship wasn't the brightest idea in retrospect). T_T**


	43. Can I pick princess?

**QUESTION: What one shot of mine would you rate as the "best" or "most touching" one of this collection?** I want to know what moves the hearts of my readers and try to write a bit more like that :3

 **Prompt: Uh, I think I'm a bit late but…Marichat May? :3 OlderMarichat!**

 **Rated: K+**

* * *

 **Can I pick princess?**

Chat safely set his princess down on her chair at their balcony, eyes carefully scanning her panting figure now that they were out of the heat of the battle.

It was a good thing Paris was still in turmoil after the latest akuma attack, with his lady transforming into her civilian form right in his arms while he was leaping over the roofs of Paris hadn't been the safest choice, but a necessary one all the same.

It had been a good thing he didn't use his cataclysm, he wasn't sure who would have brought his wife home if he had transformed too.

He kneeled down by her side and inspected her hands, searching for injuries. A hand shot out to gently cup both his cheeks and direct his gaze to his princess' beautiful face.

There were small scratches here and there, nothing too serious, but it still made his stomach churn uncomfortably, "I'm fine kitty, _purromise_ ," on any other day, that pun would have made him sweep her off her feet and cheer, but his frown stayed on his face.

"I'm sorry Marinette, I shouldn't have left your side before making sure the akuma couldn't move at all, I was too careless. If I had restrained him longer you wouldn't have-" she stopped his worry rant with a finger on his lips.

He blinked when she glared at him, "Chat, I'm _fine_. Tikki protected me," the kwami flew up to Marinette's face and nuzzled her cheek affectionately before settling on Chat Noir's shoulder, "And you did too. You took so many hits for me kitty, it's not fair," she crossed her arms stubbornly and the action made him chuckle.

He leaned forward and tenderly kissed her forehead, before gently resting a hand on her stomach, "Of course, I have to make sure my wife and the mother of my unborn kitten are safe," he nuzzled the side of her face, purring contently.

Marinette sighed and nuzzled her husband back, muttering half-heartedly, "We're not calling our child 'kitten'," judging by the small smile on her face, she didn't seem too much against the idea and that made a small grin appear on his face.

When Chat took her hands again within his own, Marinette looked up at his serious expression, "I know you're not showing yet but please take it easy. I don't think Hawkmoth will go easy just because Ladybug decided to have awesome little kittens," he shook his head, "He will try to use it against you. Let me fight the battles and you'll transform at the end when you need to purify the akuma,"

Marinette snorted, "Don't be ridiculous Adrien, Paris needs _both_ of us. Besides, who will watch your back?"

Chat grinned, "I'm sure Alya or Nino can fill in when I can't handle something. Nino's a walking shield, he'll be fine if I hide behind him for a bit of cover," he winked and Marinette rolled her eyes playfully as she affectionately rubbed at the ears atop his head.

The elated purr made her smile fondly, "I don't know if I want to kiss you or shove you off a bridge,"

Chat's eyes gleamed, grinning down wickedly at his wife, "Can I pick princess?"

She laughed.

 **Thank you for reading! :3 QUESTION: What one shot of mine would you rate as the "best" or "most touching" one of this collection?** I want to know what moves the hearts of my readers and try to write a bit more like that :3


	44. Midnight Serenades

**A/N:** Hey everyone! Thank you all for following/favoriting this little collection, I was so surprised when I saw how many followed/favorited this XD Thank you! :3

 **ANSWERS TO REVIEWS:**

 **Katieykat:** Ohh future and reveal fics huh…definitely wrote up a few of them ^_^ Thanks for answering! :3

 **Hitomi-nya:** Thanks for the answer! (my personal favorite was the thing with Alya and Nino spying on them, have to write more about those two!)

 **Guest:** Thank you!

 **Marichat4evaaa:** (embarrassed smile) Aw, thank you so much! You're too sweet! :3 (hides face) So many? Wow, thank you honestly, I didn't expect that.

 **S4KcandyMan:** I coincidentally wrote a sequel to that one…maybe I'll publish it soon too ;)

 **Prompt: Marichat May…a bit late :3 "Midnight serenades"**

 **Rated: K**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

 **Midnight Serenades**

Marinette wasn't sure what she was weirded out by more.

The fact that she was woken up to strange noises coming from outside that sounded like a cat massacre taking place and seeing a whole plethora of stray cats comfortably lounging on her balcony or the fact that Chat Noir was in the centre of the mess.

When he spotted her frozen form, that was where he started singing.

She wasn't even _sure_ if it _was_ singing. I sounded like he was _in pain._

Marinette's eye started twitching when a few cats joined in again and not long after, each and every cat that just magically appeared on her balcony started yowling and mewling in sync.

Marinette could already picture it, the news headline, ' _Parisian hero Chat Noir serenading to a civilian girl? Could it be our feline hero has schedule nightly rendezvous with this Marinette Dupain-Cheng girl?"_ Oh the horrors…Alya would never let her live it down, Chloe would make fun of her and Chat Noir, her _parents_ what would her parents think?! What would _Adrien_ think?!

" _Marinette! What is that noise?"_ her mother suddenly yelled from downstairs, voice slightly groggy, obviously having just woken up from all the noise and Marinette quickly shouted back.

"Nothing maman! Just a few stray cats! I'll get the squirt bottle!"

Apparently, some of the cats had known the word 'squirt bottle' because as soon as the word left Marinette's lips, the cats bolted across the railing and into the Parisian night, nowhere in sight.

The rest of the cats, still obliviously mewling with Chat Noir, hissed and fled the minute they saw Marinette round on them, squirt bottle in hand.

The only brave little kitty that stayed behind was _her_ kitty.

She mercilessly sprayed him with the squirt bottle and Chat Noir let out a strangled yelp, arms flailing wildly to sloppily shield himself from the offending liquid as he fell back on his butt.

Marinette stopped her assault when the squirt bottle was half empty and Chat Noir was a mess on the floor, a pout on his lips, " _Purrincess! Whyyy?"_ the whine was loud and for a split second, Marinette thought it would attract the cats again.

It didn't.

She sighed heavily, opting to sit down next to him on the ground, "Chat! It's _midnight! MIDNIGHT!_ " she crossed her arms, attempting to look angry, "How would _you_ react seeing a rehearsal of " _Cats"_ taking place on _your_ balcony in the middle of the night?" Chat Noir looked like he was considering his answer and Marinette was half tempted to reach for the half empty squirt bottle.

"Well, I would be _pawsitively purrlighted!"_ he grinned from ear to ear, despite his slightly wet hair, usually messy bangs now slightly falling into his eyes and Marinette had to mentally berate herself for thinking that it actually looked kind of cute.

Marinette rolled her eyes playfully and sighed, "Of course you would," she gave him a sideways glance, some of her previous ire dissipating, "What…how…how did you even…?" she tried to find the right words, still a little stunned after that display.

Chat could tell what she was trying to ask, so he answered for her, "You can't expect being a superhero of Paris and _not_ having your own personal fanclub behind you!" he grinned, obviously proud at his 'fanclub' being a bunch of stray cats with even worse singing skills than his mewling.

Marinette half expected he had somehow bribed them to join him in his dramatic quest to serenade her, how he accomplished such a feat, she had no clue.

Still, "I don't think Ladybug has an arsenal of ladybugs hidden somewhere ready to come out and flood your house when she decides to pay you back," the girl sighed, half-wishing she had made such connections with the animal world. Maybe she would even consider the outrageous idea, after all, she would need to repay Chat Noir _somehow_ -

The cat tilted his head to the side in confusion, droplets of water falling down his blond strands, "Huh? Pay me back? For what?"

Marinette's eyes flew open, completely forgetting she currently _wasn't_ Ladybug but _Marinette_ and that Chat Noir had (as of yet) done _nothing_ to Ladybu-

"W-well _after_ I tell her what you did to me!" she thanked her lucky stars for her quick thinking.

The budding designer was about to mentally pat herself on the back until she noticed the sad, disappointed expression on her partner's face, body tense, "...That bad, huh?" his voice was off, she had rarely heard him this solemn.

Had she…offended him? But he knew she was joking…right?

Marinette scooted closer to her partner, nudging him with her shoulder, "Minou…you know I was just kidding right?" his gaze was still downcast, "Chat, look at me, please," he slowly turned his head, emerald eyes boring into hers and her heart clenched when they were sad.

She was an idiot, "Chat please, I was joking! I…" she bit her lip, not believing what she was about to confess, "I...liked your signing," she sighed, knowing it would be a while until he would stop teasing her for her confession.

There was a moment of silence before she was suddenly enveloped in strong, familiar arms, cheek smothered by his face pressing enthusiastically against it, rubbing against her like a big, overgrown cat, "Princess!" Chat purred happily, the vibrations reverberating through her entire body, pressing as snugly as she was to him.

Marinette tried not to think of the uncomfortable heat in her cheeks, tried not to notice the hard planes and contours of Chat's body pressing against her softer one, or the hair tickling the side of her cheek, or the comforting warmth of his face pressed so comfortably against hers-

"Princess?" an inquisitive tone broke her from her thoughts.

"H-huh?" she blinked and hastily but gently, broke away from the too close embrace, Chat's arms willingly falling back to his sides.

He shot her a bright grin, "You liked it? _Fur_ real?" there were stars in his eyes, stars brighter than the ones above in the dark sky and Marinette giggled.

"Yes Chat…I did," she smiled, shaking her head in disbelief.

And suddenly, two gloved hands were in front of her face and she looked up at Chat's standing form above her. He smiled down at her and Marinette grabbing his hands, allowing him to help her to her feet.

He nudged her in the direction of the small chair in the corner of her small balcony and Marinette reluctantly sat down, not knowing what her kitty had planned.

Chat perched himself comfortably on the metal railing as if he belonged there, he cleared his throat and Marinette's eyes widened, realizing what he was about to do and mentally bracing herself for it.

Instead of the obnoxiously loud, grating sound from a few moments ago with the cats, Chat's voice was smooth, deep, velvety and Marinette felt her body slowly relaxing to the comforting sound of his signing.

She sagged against her chair, eyes slowly fluttering closed and back open a few times, lulled to sleep by the comforting voice of Chat singing to her.

Before Marinette completely succumbed to sleep, she felt the reassuring feeling of his arms around her, carrying her into the safety of her bedroom and she allowed herself a small smile.

Well…she could get used to his nightly serenades as long as he didn't invite his furry backstage singers again. She could definitely do with just his voice mewling at her all night.

* * *

 ** _Bonus:_**

Chat Noir's ears twitched, "Uh…m'lady? What…what is this?" his tail swished gently back and forth and he found a few of the little things to be crawling along the length of it, he looked back at his lady in red, not quite sure to remain calm or be disturbed.

Ladybug crossed her arms smugly, "This is what you get for bullying random citizens chaton," she giggled behind her hand, gently prodding a little ladybug that had landed on top of her hand.

It flew away from her hand to land on top of Chat Noir's nose and her kitten scrunched it up cutely, it looked like he was trying hard not to sneeze, "Um…" he seemed just as stunned as she had been when he had randomly serenaded her in the middle of the night, "How did you know?"

Had Marinette really told Ladybug?

She smiled, " A good friend of mine told me. Really Chat, I hadn't expected that from you," she giggled again when he visibly shivered in surprise when the ladybug on his nose innocently crawled up onto his forehead.

"W-well, uh…c-can you call them…back?" he grinned sheepishly. It wasn't that he hated ladybugs, he thought they were really cute, but…they started crawling alone certain parts of his suit that just made his stomach churn thinking about having _any_ type of animals near it.

His partner suddenly looked sheepish, "Um…well…" his panicked look made her flush in embarrassment, "I err…I 'called' them by spraying you with a scent ladybugs really liked but…I haven't really worked out how to call them…back?" Ladybug grinned nervously, noticing the eyes of her partner were the size of dinners plates.

"M'lady I think one of your lady fans has gone down a _catastrophic_ way," Ladybug flushed when she saw some of the small insects started crawling all over Chat's body, some of them heading down south from his chest downward-

"A-ah w-wait let me fix it! _L-Lucky Charm!"_

Well….at least she got to pay him back just a little.

Tikki had never warned her how devious little ladybugs could get.

 **Thanks for reading! Since I've been pretty late catching up with Marichat May, I decided to do (in random order) a few prompts, mostly combining two prompts into one ^^**


	45. A Thief in Blue

**ANSWERS TO REVIEWS:**

 **Hitomi-nya:** Ahhh, who wouldn't my friend, who wouldn't…(want Chat singing lullabies to :3)

 **Marichat4evaaa:** haha Thank you! I always find it so flattering that people tell me my one shots are cute ^^ haha

 **Prompt: He was a thief clad in black, she was a mystery shrouded by darkness. He left golden bells for the ones he stole from and she left blue roses for those with a burdened heart. Thievery was his profession, hers was comforting the troubled souls of the city.** A mix of LadyNoirish, Marichatish

 **Rated: K+**

 **Inspiration: Magic Kaito (Kaito Kid Series)**

* * *

 **A Thief in Blue**

 _The blue rose was her sign, a golden bell was his._

Leaping across rooftops and buildings unnoticed and melting into the shadows was his usual modus operandi, but her, she came and go as she pleased, she could perform the most spectacular show and vanish within the protection of the shadows in the next second.

But he wasn't worried about a rival, not in the least.

He had opted to sit back and watch her, and he knew she was aware of his guarded gaze on her at all times.

It seemed Chat Noir the Feline Thief would take a temporary break from his heists in order to watch the mysterious yet beautiful newcomer in action.

And oh did she offer him a show.

She rarely stole, when she did, it were mostly blue and red jewels, but interestingly enough she returned those she stole that held a great sentimental value to the owner, with a single blue rose and a letter attached to the returned stolen object, sometimes with the words, " _Those kept close to the heart are safe from thieving fingers,"_

Until today, he thought it was a nod to him, thieving was his profession after all, for her it was more of a hobby next to her own profession.

She wasn't a magician per se, nor was she any sort of performer in the traditional sense. The fact that, at several instances, she could even outsmart _him_ , proved she was more versatile in areas nobody would expect from a person mostly gifting blue roses to people in need, particularly saddened, heartbroken individuals.

How she found those people, he had no idea, _purrhaps_ she had a sixth sense for sad people as he had for cat-themed jewels and artifacts.

Word spread fast of the mysterious 'Phantom Lady' gifting saddened people a single blue rose, sometimes accompanied by comforting but equally mysterious words.

Chat Noir didn't quite know what to think of that, he was a thief, a professional one and a cat at that, having someone steal his thunder with questionable motives made him stand on guard.

And one night, after a particularly successful heist of retrieving a famed 'cat eye' golden jewel, he encountered her on a roof.

It looked like she had been waiting for him, if her relaxed stance and expectant gaze was anything to go by.

The moonlight illuminated her dark blue hair, and it gave her even more of a mysterious appearance.

She smiled and he grinned, "Waiting for _meow_ , m'lady?" he bowed, it would be an atrocity not to in such ethereal presence.

She tilted her head in acknowledgement and adjusted the mask covering her real identity, red with black spots, "A little birdie told me the great Chat Noir's heart seems to be in turmoil," if he had suspected she had been a magician before, he was slightly more sure of it now, as she produced a blue rose from nowhere within her hand, a simple turn of her wrist.

She twirled it gracefully between two fingers, looking at it with a saddened gaze.

Chat Noir grew defensive, like a cat bowing its back, "Oh? _Purrhaps_ your informant was wrong," Chat Noir smirked cockily, lazily swinging his belt tail in front of him, "I'm feeling _pawsitively purrfect_ tonight, m'lady," he grinned, all sharp feline teeth.

Her eyes shot to him and his breath briefly caught in his throat from how blue they were, just like the rose in her hand, "Are you, _chaton_?" she slowly stood from her perch but made no move closer to him, sensing his guarded disposition, her gaze fell to the pouch strapped to his waist with his latest heist, "That jewel is a family heirloom, it belongs to a little girl, gifted from her mother who died shortly due to a murder from Hawkmoth's gang,"

Ahh, Hawkmoth, a famed name indeed, still, Chat Noir's gaze turned into slits, "You expect me to return it? Like you said, the girl is young, I doubt any piece of jewelry holds any semblance of meaning to her in her age," he touched the pouch with the tips of his claws, a warning, "Besides, finders keepers, right?" fangs caught the moonlight but that didn't deter the lady shrouded in mystery in front of him.

"And I thought the famous thief Chat Noir only steals jewels and artifacts and not broken pieces of a girl's heart," she started walking towards him, her gait slow and relaxed, obviously trying not to look like a threat.

He didn't think she had any concealed weapons, after all, in all her appearances she never operated with any weapons nor used violence.

Except… "And I thought Blue Rose only gifts roses to saddened people instead of punching them?" her lips curved into a small smile and she laughed, his ears pointed upwards, it was a lovely sound.

"I believe I had _apawlagized_ for that, minou. I simply won't allow for violence, especially against those that are defenseless," she held the rose out toward him, her arm outstretched, a good armlengths away from him, granting him his space, "Now would you allow me to glance at your heart?"

Her blue eyes stared into his, soothing, calming, comforting and he allowed a low chuckle to escape him before he expertly and swiftly materialized right behind her, taking the single blue rose from her grasp.

His voice close to her ear seemed to surprise her, if only slightly, "Only if you allow _meow_ to yours, m'lady," with the wind, he was gone and in place of her signature blue rose was a deep red one, from where, she didn't know, but it was real and when she brought it close to her nose to sniff it, it smelled…comforting.

The little bell attached to its stem produced a short, melodious bell sound when she jiggled it and she had to smile.

She glanced up at the moon, shaking her head, "What a troublesome kitty…"

* * *

It was the next night after the return of one of his heists that he spotted the letter hanging off a roof he frequently vaulted over with his staff. The letter was red with black spots, one he remembered the Blue Rose, in rare instances leaving.

He retracted his baton and broke the string from which the letter was tied to. When he opened the piece of paper, a single blue rose fell from it's confines and he picked it up mid-fall before it could hit the ground.

He had to snicker at the letter's contents.

 _Dearest chaton,_

 _You looked a bit distracted during your heist today, was it because of our meeting last night?_

 _You appear confident and cocky, but your eyes hold a deep sadness. The Blue Rose may be the one to offer solace and comfort in times of sadness, but I'm sure lady luck could prove more successful in healing the sadness in your heart._

 _A lucky charm for your future escapades._

 _And a blue rose for your thoughts kitty._

 _Yours truly,_

 _Ladybug._

His eyebrow rose, so she had a different name other than Blue Rose? He had to confess, if she wasn't lying, he had never met her 'Ladybug' persona before.

He was confused about what lucky charm she was talking about, until for the first time since he picked up the letter it seemed, he felt a bulky kind of object strapped to its backside.

Turning the piece of paper, Chat Noir's eyes widened slightly.

It was a bracelet of some sorts. It looked creative, blue, green, red and yellow cubes and round shapes attached with a string.

He smirked when he spotted a small ladybug figurine made of stone attached at the end, ladybugs were usually known for their good luck.

Shaking his head, Chat Noir pocketed the 'good luck charm' and twirled the blue rose in between his fingers, taking in its beauty.

A blue rose symbolizes mystery, just like the origin of its mysterious color, it signifies the enigmatic, a mystery that cannot be fully unraveled.

It also symbolizes unattainability.

A person gifted with a blue rose usually is considered the subject of speculation, shrouded in mystery, an enigma, an unsolvable puzzle.

He smirked, taking a whiff of the flower.

It smelled like her.

* * *

His next heist was a close call.

A ridiculously brave, or stupid, civilian got tangled into it and, since he was no murderer he had a duty as a gentleman thief to save her.

How she got into the security system, he didn't know, why she punched one of the guards who tried to shoot him? He didn't know that either, all he knew was he wasn't about to allow a beautiful young lady who risked her life for him to be buried beneath a pile of falling rubble.

Many of the awe-stricken citizens below them gazed upon the familiar black figure of Chat Noir, carrying a civilian woman in his arms.

The thief was known to be a charmer certainly, but never had he gotten too close to any of the female populace before, keeping his banter playful and superficial.

But when the woman in his arms, covered slightly by scratches, gazed up at him with a knowing little smile, his breath got caught in his throat. The same reaction he had with the Blue Rose, or Ladybug.

Her eyes were blue too, he even thought it was the same shade.

"Thank you for saving me, chaton," his ears moved at the sound of the distantly familiar nickname.

"You're _purrfectly_ welcome, _purrincess_ ," he landed safely in a secluded area of a park nearby, away from prying eyes as he carefully set her down.

He only moved a respectable distance away once he was sure she could stand on her own, his frown directed at the visible scratches she sustained during the short scuffle with the guards, "A civilian shouldn't attempt to protect a thief you know,"

Her gaze was calm, soothing, as if she hadn't participated in a life-threatening situation, but there was a certain fire behind that veil of calmness that…intrigued him, "I'm sorry Chat Noir, but I couldn't just let Paris' most respected thief get hurt in a unfair matchup,"

He smirked and twirled his belt tail around, "Oh? Most respected? Aren't you _affuraid_ , princess?" he stepped a step closer, fangs sharp.

She didn't seem intimidated in the least, she met his gaze with a challenging one of her own, "With your half-backed puns? Not one bit, kitty," she giggled at the caught off guard expression on his face.

He crossed his arms, a newfound interest in his green eyes, "What's your name princess?"

She smiled at him, "Will you stop calling me princess if I tell you my name?"

He cocked his head to the side and pretended to think, a small smirk growing on his lips, " _Purrhaps,"_

She crossed her arms as well, "Then my name is of no importance since you won't use it,"

He rose an eyebrow, a feisty one, "Mysterious, are we?"

She winked, " _Purrhaps_ ," she giggled at his slightly peeved expression, "Come stop by the Dupain-Cheng backery if you want to know my name, kitty,"

He grinned, all teeth, "I thought I smelled cinnamon on you princess," he bowed at the waist, an excited grin gracing his handsome features, "Very well _purrincess_ , until our paths _croissant_ again,"

He gave her a two fingered salute and a Cheshire grin before disappearing into the night.

She smiled to herself, holding the little bell he had deftly attached to the loose thread of her jacket in her hand, shaking it to produce the same melodious sound she had heard before from their meeting at the rooftop.

Her voice was soft when she spoke, "Looks like Marinette the civilian took a _whisk_ Ladybug never would…" she closed her hand around the bell, before turning and heading toward home, "Until we meet again, _chaton_ ," she smiled as she expertly disappeared within the protection of the shadows.

* * *

The next day, there was a card and a golden bell on the little girl's window sill, the same girl from which the cat-eyed jewel was stolen from, a memento from her deceased mother.

The card read, in neat cursive handwriting,

" _I may be a thief, but I don't steal impurrtant things held dear to the heart. Keep this safe from any prying paws, little lady._

 _From your friendly feline thief,_

 _Chat Noir."_

The bottom of the letter had a cutely drawn paw print and the little girl smiled and giggled, happily nuzzling the returned jewel, holding it close to her chest, while she gently jiggled the little golden bell.

The sound it made caused the girl to laugh.

It sounded like a cat's bell-collar.

 **Thank you kindly for reading. :3 I'll think about writing up the late Marichat May prompts ( I may or may not follow up on some of them ^^)**


	46. Balcony Scene

**A/N:** Hello fellow Miraculous fans! Uh, (clears throat) right, I don't want to announce it through a megaphone but uh, since tomorrow will be my birthday, **I'm not sure** IF I'll update tomorrow (maybe not), just a heads up! :3

 **ANSWERS TO REVIEWS:**  
 **Mayuralover:** Thanks for the compliment! :3

 **Prompt: The Balcony Scene…REWRITTEN! :3**

 **Rated: T**

* * *

 **Balcony Scene**

 _Sometimes, it's not about who hands you an umbrella. It's who sits with you despite the rain. – I.z (Writer's Pocket)_

"Good evening," the familiar voice from behind her made Marinette jump and turn around anxiously, she hadn't heard him sneak up.

"Chat Noir?" she watched him gracefully leap onto the edge of the balcony railing, balancing perfectly on the thin, metal despite his larger frame. If she didn't know firsthand how agile the cat could be, she would worry over his safety.

"I'm sorry if I startled you," she could hear it in his voice, he was sad, troubled.

Marinette offered him a smile, "No, not at all," she watched his usually proud shoulders sag and frowned, "Are…you okay Chat Noir?"

She watched the way his ears twitched atop his head and he turned his head to look at her, before looking away at the streets below, "Yeah…" that didn't sound right.

"You don't sound very convincing, you know," she watched his ears slightly drop, "You can tell me," she moved a tiny bit closer, resting a reassuring hand on his shoulder before dropping it again.

His lips curled into a tiny smile at the action. True, she didn't behave around Adrien the same way she did around Chat Noir, but no matter who the person was she was with, Marinette never stopped caring for others.

He sighed, he didn't know why he had such a familiar feeling blooming in his chest whenever he was near her, it was the same one he got whenever he was around Ladybug. It was that feeling that made him finally get the cat out of the bag, "It' just…I think I'm doing something wrong," he scratched the back of his neck, "See, there's this…amazing girl I like and I wanted to surprise her with something tonight but…she didn't come," his tone dropped at the end, turning low and sad.

Marinette's heart broke for the struck kitten, "That's…I'm so sorry Chat Noir," again, she placed a hand on his shoulder and squeezed, making him look at her, "I'm sure you're doing everything fine, maybe she was just busy," she shrugged and then, it dawned on her.

Wait…

Hadn't he…hadn't he asked Ladybug? Before she went off after their last akuma attack? Didn't Ladybug say she was busy?

Marinette's hand dropped from his shoulder and her eyes widened briefly, Chat Noir caught the change immediately, "Marinette?" he tilted his head to the side, slightly worried at her reaction. Had he said something wrong?

"U-um, s-sorry, I…just remembered something," she sighed, great, not only did she offer to comfort him, she was also the cause of his discomfort.

"Want to talk about it?" she looked at him and Chat quickly added, "If you want to of course," he smiled, trying to show her it was alright.

This was actually supposed to be about him, not herself, but seeing the earnest look in his eyes, she relented.

Marinette leaned against the metal railings of her balcony, watching the city lights, "It's… I actually had something similar happen to me today too. There's this boy I liked and…I was hoping he would come to eat ice-cream with my friends and I but…" she hung her head solemnly, "He was busy, I think his father didn't want him to go,"

Chat was frozen stiff beside her, ears standing straight up in attention, spine as straight as a rod. Wait…was Marinette…was she talking about him? Adrien?

He was busy, I think his father didn't want him to go.

His heart clenched, "This boy…" Chat swallowed, "Um, how-I mean," he cleared his throat, "Did you want him to come?" he chanced a glance at her and was met with Marinette's sad profile.

Silently, she nodded her head and Chat closed his eyes, anger welling up inside of him, anger and disappointment, at himself.

To think it wasn't only him that was hurting tonight, he had hurt sweet Marinette on top of everything else, without even realizing it too.

"I see…" Chat wrapped his arms around his legs, "I think, I mean not that I know him but, I think he…wanted to come too, to eat ice-cream with you and your friends," he felt Marinette's eyes on him, "You're one of the kindest people I know Marinette," he quickly corrected himself, the flickering of his tail painfully reminding him that Chat wasn't supposed to know Marinette that well, "At least that's the impression I get from all those times you helped out with akumas and heard Ladybug praise you. It's not fair that Adrien hurt you like that, I think you should ask him again to eat ice-cream, I'm sure he wont say no," he smiled to himself, a sense of calm enveloping him.

Until Marinette asked, "How did you know I was talking about Adrien?" Marinette's face was confused at best, just how had he known who she was talking about without her mentioning his name? Had he followed her?

Chat started to sweat under his suit, "U-uh, I, did I say Adrien? I uh, I meant," he coughed into his hand, brain working to find a believable excuse, "I-I met him by chance, t-today actually!" he grinned, flashing white teeth, "He uh, he was really sad and I still had time before I had to transform back and uh, I asked him what happened and he told me how sad he was that…that he couldn't meet up with you and everyone else," his tone calmed, a bit more serious, "He… also said he would turn back time and attend if possible,"

Marinette smiled warmly, resting her hand on his back, making the cat look at her again, "Time is precious Chat Noir, besides I…I know he has his reasons, so I'm not angry, just a little bit sad but it'll be alright," she grinned sheepishly and Chat felt a smile curling his lips.

"…What about Ladybug?" the question caught him off guard.

"What?" he blinked.

Marinette scratched her neck, "U-uh, I mean, how comes Ladybug didn't show up to your surprise?"

Chat deflated again, mind brought back to his preparations for the evening, "She…had things to do and said she likely couldn't come, but I'm not mad at her either." He sighed, until a thought entered his mind, "Wait…how comes you knew I was talking about Ladybug?" he rose an eyebrow. He was pretty sure he hadn't mentioned his lady's name.

This time, Marinette seemed downright nervous, the same nervousness she had whenever she was around his civilian form.

"A-ah, I-I…well, wh-who could it be after all, right? I mean Ladybug is your best friend! All of Paris knows so I thought…" her voice died in her throat when she noted the look on Chat's face.

 _"Yeah…she was just a friend,"_ shaking his head, Chat expertly swung his legs over the railing to stand on Marinette's balcony, stretching his hand out to her, "What do you say I show you something? Don't worry, I'll return the princess before her furrfew is due!" he grinned widely.

Marinette rolled her eyes, but watched his outstretched hand thoughtfully, "…Sure," she smiled, finally taking his hand.

She knew she could trust Chat Noir, if there was anyone in the world she could, it was him.

His heart weirdly quickening at her warm, small hand in his, Chat carefully picked Marinette up in his arms and with a single leap, jumped over a few roofs toward the one roof where he had set out all his preparations for the night.

The look of pure awe and happiness on Marinette's face healed the faint scar left on his heart and Chat gave a lopsided grin.

He was happy his princess enjoyed an evening with him.

Thank you all for reading! BTW: Anyone saw the latest episode "Troublemaker"? I think I have a new ship! ;)


	47. His Puns or Mine

**ANSWERS TO REVIEWS:**

 **Marichat4ever:** Oh, thank you so, so much! Honestly, your reviews made me feel a lot better :3 (blushes) and thank you for the sweet compliments, there are so many other amazing writers out there and to hear such compliments really melts my heart :3 BTW: Definitely my new ship is Penny X Jagged! Hmm…ship name…Jenny? Pagged? Oh! Rolling Stone? (a comibation of their last names Penny Rolling and Jagged Stone)

 **Elea30303:** Thank you! I confess it's not my best work, but I really missed the m interacting more in Glaciator, it's such a shame too. Very true! Thankfully Thomas blessed us with a few ship moments! And I love all the theories about Chat possibly seeing Ladybug with half her mask off! :3

 **Prompt:** Adrien tends to let his "inner Chat" out whenever he feels threatened or challenged….but he couldn't explain this.

 **Rated: K+**

Enjoy!

 _ **NOTE:**_ I just noticed someone added this story on a _**Community "Miraculous ladybug"**_ , I just felt so surprised and honoured, so whoever did, thank you very much! ^_^ (bows)

* * *

 **His Puns or Mine**

Nino looked at him as if he had grown a second head, "…Dude…did you just _hiss_?" Adrien's back straightened suddenly, imaginary shackles lowering at the presence of his best friend suddenly beside him.

"Uh, no, I-" he scratched the back of his neck in embarrassment, "Um, hey, isn't that Luka over there? Juleka's brother? What's he doing here?" he rose an eyebrow, pointing at Marinette and Luka, talking, laughing.

 _Hiss._

Nino's eyebrow rose, "You did it again,"

"What?" Adrien blinked, tearing his gaze away from the pair.

"The hiss. You did the hiss again," Nino crossed his arms and shook his head, "Look, I get you're a fan of Ladybug and Chat Noir, but idolizing him can only go till so much,"

Adrien sighed, "I'm not…yeah, you're right," he shook his head, feeling Plagg's claws gently tickle his chest, warning him to stay focused.

Had he truly hissed? He only did that as Chat and rarely then too.

But…why? He usually only ever hissed at akumas, or when he landed a bit too roughly on his backside after being flung across half of Paris.

But here were no akumas here, he wasn't in danger, his butt wasn't in danger of being brutally hurt and he didn't feel threatened.

His skin crawled when he saw Luka casually touch Marinette's arm and the girl smiled kindly, as if… _inviting_ him to do that.

Nino watched his friend carefully, connecting the dots when he followed Adrien's gaze and landed on Luka and Marinette.

He grinned and looked toward his girlfriend, who only smirked proudly at him as she stood to the side and observed her friend getting flustered by the older guitarist.

"Hey dude, c'mon let's go say hi to Luka!" he grabbed Adrien's stiff arm and dragged him behind, noticing he was actually a lot heavier than he remembered being, "Woah, dude, where did you get all this weight from?" he dumbly noticed, not for the first time, Adrien's arms not being so skinny anymore as of late, "You know, you gotta tell me at what gym you're working out in, I could use the exercise," he frowned at his own slightly skinny arms.

Adrien bit his lip. How was he going to explain he had gained all the muscle from being Chat Noir? _Think fast, Agreste, think._

"Ah, well, err…I don't really know if father would allow you to uh, join me in training because…I have a special nutritionist and trainer who coaches me! Yeah!" phew, sometimes he needed to listen to Plagg more often and work on his 'communication' skills as the little sly cat called the act of 'deceit'.

Nino deflated like a balloon, "Awww man! And I thought we could be awesome gym buddies too!" he sighed dramatically and due to concentrating on Nino all this time, Adrien didn't even realize they were already standing in front of Marinette and…

 _Luka._

Adrien widened his stance unconsciously, appearing slightly bigger than he was, yet the older boy was still taller than him.

Nino greeted the pair like he was the sun itself, "Helloo dudes! Rocking that style Luka!" he fist bumped with Luka and very briefly, Adrien wondered when had they had the time to actually establish their own greeting, which was actually their customary greeting! They invented the fist bump before it got cool!

A low growl caught Luka's attention and bright blue eyes met Adrien's hard green ones, "You okay there Adrien?" he rose a curious eyebrow at the model.

Adrien quickly pressed the back of his hand to his mouth and started coughing, as if clearing his throat, "Uh, y-yeah, I, ahem, sorry, I think I'm coming down with something," he wheezed out a last cough before clearing his throat.

Luka frowned in mild concern, "Ah, hope you get better soon, the weather's been crazy lately with all the rain and sun we had the past few days. Marinette and I got soaked yesterday since we forgot to bring umbrellas," he chuckled in amusement and Marinette blushed, giggling with him.

To Adrien's shock, instead of stuttering or shying away, Marinette did a Ladybug, "Well, excuse you but I remember a certain someone saying yesterday would be sunny. That's why I didn't bring my umbrella with me, Luka," she playfully poked his chest and the boy grinned cheekily.

"Sorry about that, I guess I thought I had it _covered_ ," he winked and Marinette slapped a hand to her face, smiling.

"Your puns are horrible," she grimaced but with a slight smile nonetheless.

Adrien's brain short-circuited.

 _Nobody_ was allowed to make such horrible puns in his presence! Especially around Marinette! Since she always _appurreciated_ his _purrfect_ Chat Noir puns!

With a set jaw and a hard look in his eyes, Adrien opened his mouth, "Heh, yeah, I saw it too yesterday, it's been raining cats and dogs all day, there's been poodles all over the road," Adrien laughed, grabbing Nino's shoulder, who slapped his own face.

 _"Here he goes again with his puns, give me strength,_ " Nino peeked one eye open when he heard a second person laughing and couldn't believe his ears and eyes.

Luka was laughing too.

"Wow, great pun there Adrien, gotta write that one down!" he grinned, the last of his chuckles disappearing.

Adrien immediately stopped laughing, fixing the older boy's turned head with a stare that could destroy mountains.

Ohh, so he wanted to play _that_ game, did he?

Adrien turned to Marinette, "Pretty funny, huh Marinette?" he grinned widely. Of course his princess would agree, she always liked his puns when he told them as Cha-

"Uh, yeah, it was really funny Adrien!" Marinette giggled half-heartedly, blushing at Luka's gaze on her.

Adrien blinked.

Wait…had Marinette just… _forced_ herself to laugh?

Adrien watched, sadly and helplessly, as Marinette's entire attention was stolen by Luka and his…his half-tuned puns!

Nino's head whipped toward Adrien when he heard that noise again, "Dude, for the last time!"

Adrien was still hissing when Luka touched Marinette's shoulder.

 _Again._

* * *

Ladybug grimaced, flinging her yoyo in front of her to deflect another attack from her position literally glued to the ground, "Honestly, is Hawkmoth getting lazy? Seriously? A candy akuma?"

Chat Noir was currently trying to eat his way out of a large sweet cotton candy ball he's had the luck to get trapped in, the only thing visible from his body was his head and his tail, "If you're asking _meow_ I think he made a pretty sweet deal," he licked his lips happily, eating away at his sweet prison.

His normal diet rarely allowed him the pleasures of indulging in such food, he was so going to take advantage of this situation.

His lady face palmed, thoroughly vexed with the situation and her partner's casual indifference of the whole problem, "Chat Noir! Focus!" as she blocked a stray candy cone flung toward her head.

"Hey, I am furrcusing m'lady! I'm fighting with everything I've got to get out!" with that, he redoubled his efforts, swallowing mouthful after mouthful of the pink fluffy clouds surrounding him.

It seemed like Hawkmoth's patience was running thin with this particular akuma, his voice echoing within her head, "Bounty Hunter ( **A/N: "Bounty" chocolate bar anyone?)**! Get me Ladybug and Chat Noir's Miraculous!"

The akuma, Bounty Hunter, looked like something out of a child's favorite candy fantasy.

Her hair was red and white spiraling into twin pig tails on either side of her head along with decorative candy sticks stuck into them as hair ornaments. Lips painted a glossy, sparkling pink, her face was strikingly pale, her eyelids a deep shade of pink and purple. Her outfit reminded the heroes of a figure in a comic they once saw, with a ripped skirt, candies of various sorts sticking to it and hanging from her bright pink belt. Her shirt had a tongue on it, licking a lollipop. Bracelets made from licorice adorned her arms and her legs were clad in a plethora of colorful candy-shaped forms on a black and purple striped fabric.

She had a large rainbow lollipop as her weapon, most likely where the akuma was stuck in.

And the staff was coming straight at Ladybug too.

Ladybug quickly grabbed the string of her yoyo and pulled it taut, hoping it was enough resistance to block the blow, her legs were unable to free themselves from the fudge-like substance coating them.

She had no choice but to at least try to block.

Until a black blur suddenly jumped in front of her and blocked the blow with a sleek, metal staff, relief flooded her face, "Chat Noir!"

Her kitty expertly pushed Bounty Hunter back before quickly slamming his staff on the hard substance keeping her hostage, shattering the candy on her legs, "Thanks chaton!"

And then, a thought hit her, "Wait…" she shot her partner a look, "…Why didn't you just use Cataclysm to break out of the cotton candy?"

At the sheepish look on his face, Ladybug crossed her arms and tapped her foot disapprovingly, "Uh…err…well, you see m'lady…" his ears drooped slightly on his head, "It was candy…and I guess I didn't want to destroy such a sweet work of art!" he placed a hand over his heart dramatically and Ladybug shook her head, turning back toward the akuma, who recovered from her confrontation with Chat Noir.

"We'll talk later kitty! Get ready!" Chat Noir immediately took a defensive stance, gaze trained on Bounty Hunter.

The girl looked livid, "Why you-!" Her lollipop glowed red as she aimed it at Chat Noir, "Let me tell you – getting candy stuck in your fur won't be such an easy task to get out of!" and she fired.

It was a large, pinkish glob.

Gum.

Damn.

Chat quickly leaped out of the way, "Ladybug! Don't get hit, that's gum!" Bounty Hunter continued firing off gum shot after gum shot, all aimed toward Chat Noir.

Which left Ladybug untargeted, _finally_.

"Argh!" her head turned at the sound of her partner's outcry of pain, her heart hammering in her chest in worry.

The poor cat was covered by a massive glob of gum, stuck to the side of the building. It didn't look like he could eat his way out either this time. It looked like Bounty Hunter looked all too delighted this time as she readied for another attack, "Heh, looks like you can't eat your way out of my little candy prison now can you tomcat?" Chat Noir struggled ferociously despite his disposition, legs kicking wildly.

Chat grit his teeth and sighed, "Well…this is a bit of a _sticky_ situation," he tried tugging at his arms, only being able to slightly move his fingers which were covered entirely in gum. Great.

"Lucky Charm!" quickly calling upon Tikki's power, her Lucky Charm fell into her hands…

Ladybug blinked, "….Is this a…ice machine?" she inspected the weird design of the ice machine, it looked like a weirdly-shaped gun, only with a wider barrel. The only indicator it even was an ice machine was the cool chilliness coming from it.

Using her vision, Ladybug tried looking for anything to use the thing on.

When she looked at her trapped partner, she knew the answer.

The gum.

Sliding underneath the next flood of candies aimed at her torso, Ladybug quickly jumped to her feet and dashed straight toward Chat, dodging Bounty Hunter's flying candies.

Jumping up high on the building and holding onto the sticky gum for leverage, Ladybug aimed the ice machine pistol at the gooey substance, "Uh…my lady, is this a good idea?" Chat nervously looked down at the gun pointed at him, but Ladybug nodded reassuringly.

"Trust me kitty, I'll get you out of this in no time," clicking the small button next to her thumb, the machine came to life.

Chat instantly shivered when the cold cloud washed over him and his sticky prison, coating the gum in a fine layer of ice.

Chat rose an eyebrow, warily eyeing the fast approaching Bounty Hunter, "What now?"

Ladybug smiled and jumped back, "Chat! Use your strength!" not needing to be told twice, Chat redoubled his efforts, legs kicking wildly and arms wiggling within the gum while his lady distracted the akuma. _Of course!_ Ice hardened gum and made it easy to break!

A crack.

 _'Finally,'_ Chat grinned and with a cry, broke free from his restraints.

"What?!" Bounty Hunter jumped back, lollipop staff glowing bright red, readying another attack.

Ladybug's vision focused in on Chat's hand and the lollipop, "Chat Noir, do your thing!"

"Gladly, Ladybug! _Cataclysm_!" calling upon his own power, tendrils of dark smoke appeared in his hand and Chat Noir sprinted for the akuma, dodging every chocolate bar and cotton candy ball aimed at him.

With a high backflip, Chat Noir stretched his arm out as far as it could go and his fingers just grazed the akumas weapon, immediately disintegrating it.

The familiar dark butterfly fluttered out of it and with a anguished cry, Bounty Hunter fell to her knees.

"No more evildoing for you little akuma! Lucky Charm!" Ladybug did her thing and with the cleansing of the city and the akuma, the fight was over.

"Bye, bye little butterfly," Ladybug smiled and waved at the white insect fluttering to its freedom.

* * *

 _Hawkmoth's Super Secret Lair:_

Hawkmoth sighed heavily in disappointment, shoulders sagging, "One day, you will not get in my way anymore! Your Miraculous shall be mine, Ladybug and Chat Noir!" Hawkmoth clenched his fist in his hand, "And victory shall be even sweeter," with that the room grew dark.

* * *

"Pound it!" they did their customary fist bump and Chat smirked, heh, now at least this was something that stupid Luka couldn't steal from him.

"Ow…wha…what happened?" the akuma, now Madeleine Couin, blinked at the two heroes questioningly.

Ladybug kneeled down and reassuringly squeezed her shoulder, "It's alright now, I promise you're fine."

The young girl looked distraught, "Oh…have I been...akumatized? I'm so sorry, I swear I didn't want to hurt anybody!" her shoulders slumped, "It's just…nobody wanted to celebrate and eat some candy with me, everyone kept complaining how I have a sweet tooth and sweets were bad for my health, but don't even eat that much you know!" she hung her head down sadly, "I…just wanted to celebrate with my friends,"

Chat Noir's hand lightly grabbed her own and pulled her up, Ladybug standing up as well, "Hey, it's fine if you have a sweet tooth, I have one too," he grinned widely and Ladybug rose an eyebrow, "But, I'm not allowed to always eat whatever I want, so it's always something really special when I do get to eat something sweet. I think you should think like that too. Because, the rarer you eat sweets, the more special it will feel when you eat it with your friends on occasion, right?"

Madeleine's eyes flew open in realization and she placed both hands on Chat Noir's shoulders, a wide smile on her face, "Th-that's right! Wow, that's amazing! Who knew the Chat Noir had a sweet tooth?" the girl giggled, smiling appreciatively, "Thank you – both of you – for saving me." She bowed her head briefly and left.

Chat smiled and Ladybug shook her head, "Good job kitty,"

A beep.

Oh, right, their Miraculous…

"Well, see ya soon LB!" Chat waved and Ladybug returned his call before swinging her way toward home.

What she found in her room nearly scared her soul from her body, "L-L-Luka?!" Marinette, Tikki thankfully hidden in her purse, stumbled down the stairs from her bed, painfully falling down on the floor.

"Woah! Marinette hey!" Luka quickly pushed himself from the chair and cradled Marinette's head, supporting her shoulders so they weren't touching the floor anymore, "Where were you? What were you doing on your balcony? I was sure you weren't here," he grimaced in sympathy when she winced in slight pain.

Marinette slowly, with Luka's help, got up off the floor, her heart calming when she saw Tikki's was safely out of sight.

What a close call.

"Marinette?"

She squeaked, "U-uh, I-I…I was…gardening! With…my earphones in my ears so uh, maybe I didn't hear you when you moved up!" she giggled nervously, "W-what are you doing here anyways, Luka?"

The older boy gave her a calm smile, "I uh, I was just in the area and thought to check up on you. I wanted to see if the date's still set for Friday? You know, for that movie," he scratched the back of his neck, smiling.

Heat flooded Marinette's cheeks and she could hear Tikki snickering in her purse, that devious little kwami… "Uhh…s-sure! Yeah! Totally set, date uh I mean date seat!" she groaned at her slip ups, until a calm, heavy hand settled on her shoulder and Luka's amused chuckles hit her ears.

"It's fine Marinette," he patted her shoulder before taking back his hand, "Friday's gonna be awesome, I can't wait," he grinned.

Marinette smiled shyly, "Y-yeah…me too,"

Luka smiled and excused himself, saying he needed to pick up Juleka from Rose's place.

Marinette could still hear her mother saying goodbye to Luka and packing a few baked treats for him before the bell chime signalled his leave.

She sighed in relief, sagging against the wall.

Until a knock on her window made her jump.

 _Just what-!_

Marinette's eyes narrowed, " _Chat Noir_ …"

Quickly climbing up the ladder and onto her bed, Marinette opened the hatch and climbed out onto her balcony, meeting the cat's gaze.

How did he transform again so quickly? Did his kwami already finish eating?

"Hello purrincess!" he grinned and bowed with a flourish.

Marinette mentally rolled her eyes but smiled, "Hello to you too kitty, how comes you're here?"

Chat feigned being hurt, " _Meowch_! Did I catch a bad time?" he tilted his head to the side and Marinette couldn't lie and say it wasn't adorable…maybe.

She cleared her throat, "No, stay if you want,"

He beamed and she couldn't help but giggle at his enthusiasm, "So, how was school? Anything… _interesting_ happening?" Chat casually crossed his arms behind his neck, looking down at her expectantly.

Marinette rubbed her chin and thought, "Uh…not really, I guess. Oh!" she clicked her fingers, "Luka came over today, he wanted to bring Juleka's lunch since she forgot it at home," she smiled and to Chat's eyes, the smile was far too dreamy.

"Uh-huh, what about that model? Uhhh… _Adrien_ was it?" he inspected his nails.

Marinette spluttered, nearly bending her back in half, "W-w-wha-what? H-how did you think of him!?"

Chat chuckled nervously, "Oh, uh, you know, he's one of those civilians I save a lot of times," he grinned, hoping he sounded sincere.

Marinette frowned, not remembering Chat saving Adrien 'a lot of times' at all, but she didn't comment on it, "Oh…I see," she blushed, "And…what about him?"

Chat leaned his back against the metal railings, "Oh nothing…say, what's he to you?" his eyes shot to her flaming face.

Marinette felt her heart skip a few beats, "….Huh?"

Chat patiently waited for her to answer and after having what looked like mini-seizures, Marinette finally said, "H-He's just a really, really awesome, totally perfect-I-I mean dreamy, no wait uh, I mean a great friend!" her voice dropped slightly at the end, but nonetheless she seemed elated.

Chat frowned, "A friend huh…what about that Luka character?" he rubbed his chin, feline eyes narrowing at her curiously.

If she thought of Adrien as a great friend, surely she couldn't think more highly of Luka, right?

The girls' face resembled cherries and she shyly played with her fingers, "Um..uhm…well I don't really know him all that long and well…he did ask me to watch a movie with him on Friday and he's really sweet and I find his jokes really kind and he's amazing with the guitar and-" Chat held a hand up and Marinette's mouth slowly closed.

Slowly, he approached her, his towering height looming over her as his face leaned down ever so close to her own.

None of them said anything for a few heart beats and Marinette was about to snap from all the tension until Chat whispered quietly, "…What do you think of his puns?"

Marinette blinked, "…. _What_?"

Chat remained where he was, voice as serious as it could be, "What do you think of his puns Marinette? Are they better than Adrien's?" _Better than mine?_ He desperately wanted to ask.

The girl looked lost, "Uh….wait, are you _serious_?" she shot him a look.

Chat crossed his arms defensively, "Well….I only want to make sure my princess is in the company of people that can make decent puns,"

He looked cute with that pout of his. Marinette's eyes flew open, wait what?

She coughed awkwardly, "Err…well, I mean…they're…both funny?" she shrugged helplessly, "I mean, both Luka and Adrien make me laugh so…"

Chat suddenly caged her against the window and Marinette's heart suddenly raced all the way up to her throat at the intense gaze in his feline eyes.

In a low voice, incredibly close, too close, to her ear, Chat whispered huskily, "…Are my puns better than Luka's?"

 _That. Was. IT!_

With deadly precision, Marinette grabbed the squirt bottle from beside her small table and mercilessly splashed the mangy cat with them, her face on fire, "You stupid cat!"

Hissing, Chat jumped around her balcony in a wild frenzy, trying to escape his age old enemy from hitting him, "Just answer the question princess! This is a question of life or death!"

Marinette rolled her eyes, "And exactly _why_ do you care if I find Luka's jokes funny or not?"

Alright, this was a sticky situation. He couldn't reveal how she forced herself to laugh at Adrien's puns, because Chat hadn't been there, but he really, really needed to know whom she found funnier.

Chat took a deep breath and jumped in front of Marinette again when the devil bottle was empty, his was a mask of seriousness, "Because…" he suddenly took her hands in his, the squirt bottle of death falling noisily to the ground at their feet.

"…I don't want you forcing yourself to laugh at my jokes princess…" his gaze seemed sincere but Marinette didn't quite know how he figured it out.

"Wait…why would I be forcing myself to laugh at your puns kitty?" he seemed suddenly a bit uncomfortable but he looked at her again.

"Uh…well…I heard that Agreste guy liked cat puns too and all and he told me today that you forced yourself to laugh at one of his puns, a pun _I_ suggested," his gaze dropped to the floor, "Yet you genuinely laughed at Luka's ones,"

Marinette's gaze softened and she gently grabbed Chat's chin to make him look at her, "Silly kitty…" she playfully flicked his ear, "Trust me, I wouldn't laugh if I didn't find it funny, okay?" she suddenly smirked, an expression which oddly reminded him of his lady, "Besides, since when is the great Chat Noir so insecure about his mastery of his infamous puns?"

Despite the teasing atmosphere, Chat grew serious once again, "Since it involved you not liking them,"

Marinette was taken aback, heart hammering wildly in her chest. The next thing she did surprised even Chat Noir.

She leaned her forehead on his chest and giggled lightly, "Oh chaton…what am I going to do with you," he smiled down at her head and purred softly.

"…Does that mean my puns are better than Luka's?"

"Chat…"

"I need to know princess,"

She sighed heavily, "…They're not… _not_ equally funny as Luka's,"

Well….she didn't say there worse than his either. For now, that was enough for him.

Wrapping an arm around her shoulder, Chat grinned, _'No matter how many puns that guy made up, my princess was still on my side,_ " he mentally squealed in delight.

* * *

"You're scaring me, Adrien," Nino watched the way the model son beamed unusually brightly.

Adrien turned his sunshine smile to his friend, "Why, Nino? It's such a beautiful day today!"

Nino deadpanned, "It's raining _buckets_ out there man," he pointed toward the window, gesturing at the pouring rain outside.

Adrien smiled.

He hadn't really liked the rain before, but ever since that one rainy day that made Marinette and him friends, he didn't think it was too bad now.

 _"Besides, it is a good day because my purrincess likes my puns better than Luka's! And he isn't here!_ " it may be Plagg's influence, but as long as the male didn't come unnecessarily close to Marinette, he could see himself liking the guy.

Nino's eyes nearly bugged out of his head, _"Dude, are you freaking purring?!"_

 **Thank you for reading! :)**


	48. May Adventures

**A/N:** Hello fellow fans! I'm sorry for the wait, hopefully now that holidays are finally here, I can update a lot faster! :) Thank you for all your patience!

 **ANSWERS TO REVIEWS:**

 **Marichat4evaaa** : Ah thanks so much for the compliments! Penny Stone sounds cool ^^ But Jagenny is also nice. Don't worry about your English, English isn't my first language either :3

 **SazHearT** : Aw thank you! :)

 **Prompt (from me): Late, late addition to Marichat May! :3**

 **Rated: K+**

* * *

 **May Adventures**

 _On the second day of May I got into an accident…_

 _"Girl! You have GOT to tell me everything! I can't believe you're dating Chat Noir! Why does the world know before ME, your best friend?!"_ Marinette held the phone away from her ear, her eardrums trembling painfully from the loud verbal assault of her friend.

She only returned her phone to her ear when she was sure her eardrums wouldn't explode, "Alya, listen! It's…complicated. I mean-I think- no I know that we, well, err…it just… happened?" Marinette winced at her own poor word choice.

It did not _just happen._

The _thing_ , which she secretly dubbed their oddly established relationship as prior to becoming an 'official' couple, the period where Chat Noir started visiting her regularly and she started listening more to her heart instead of her head, where she would eagerly wait for whenever he would show up and she would already have a batch of warm cookies waiting for him, some blankets and maybe a movie or two to watch.

That _thing_ , she didn't know when, had somehow strengthened their bond since then, it had been the first time she seriously started questioning the choices she made as Ladybug, putting walls between herself and her partner like that, for the sake of professionalism and keeping them both safe. Her head told her it was the right choice, but her heart started getting a louder voice and that voice kept telling her _cuddle up to the handsome cat and let him in._

Perhaps that voice was a little _too_ loud sometimes, but nonetheless, Marinette didn't have the same boundaries she had set up as Ladybug with him, she could be a little more honest, a little more open and with time, Chat Noir had opened up to her in a way he never did to Ladybug before. Maybe because she insisted on them talking about their personal lives with as little detail as possible.

She had never been more wrong.

She had been blind to not be able to see the considerate, sweet boy the apparent womanizer was. True, he was a bit oblivious, but she was too. But he was sweet and kind and funny, she blamed all the times his purring made her fall asleep soundly for influencing her opinion, but his puns were even better outside of the threat of akuma battles.

Oh, right, Alya.

Marinette swallowed, "Listen Alya, I promise to tell you everything, I'm on my way to your place right now so I'll-"

" _Look out!_ " the warning had come too late.

Blinding lights and the honking of a car far too loud in Marinette's ears made all her alarm bells and instincts as Ladybug kick in, unfortunately she was unable to dodge the incoming car headed straight toward her.

She didn't think getting lost in thought in the middle of crossing a road had been a good idea at all. _Why_ couldn't her Ladybug-luck seep into her civilian life too?

Marinette crossed her arms in front of her face and braced herself, she could feel the heat and the air pressure from the car but felt no impact collide with her body.

All she felt was leather and something solid and firm encased in it.

She felt the wind rushing against her skin, like she was flying.

She was in someone's arms.

"Really princess, this had almost become a _catastrophie_ had I not been _pawtrolling_ ," the familiar arms around her tightened and Marinette's body relaxed.

 _Chat Noir._

Her arms tightened around his neck, "Thanks for the save kitty, I would have been part of the street if you hadn't saved me," she looked down at the moving streets and buildings beneath their feet.

Chat's grip around her tightened protectively, "You would make a pretty nice street but if you ask me, I _purrfer_ nobody walks all over my _purrincess_ ," he winked down at her, but despite the light tone in his voice, his eyes were full of concern and alertness, scanning her body for any injuries and searching her eyes for an explanation.

Marinette sighed, "I'm sorry Chat, Alya called and I got lost in thought and I didn't pay attention to where I was going," she leaned her cheek against her boyfriend's chest, "She wants to know all the details of how we got together and she wants to know why 'so suddenly'," she smiled.

Chat chuckled, jumping over a building, "I understand, but please be more careful next time. I almost got a heart attack when I saw you and the car," she felt his claws unconsciously lightly prick her arms, "You know I would never forgive myself if something happened to you Marinette," landing safely on the roof of a building, Chat leaned his head down to affectionately nuzzle the side of her cheek, purring contently.

Marinette smiled, rubbing her own cheek against his, "I _purromise_ kitty,"

Chat grinned softly.

* * *

 _On the fourth day of May, I got into a cat fight._

"Oh _puh-lease_! _Everyone_ knows Chat Noir is just Ladybug's sidekick, he just ends up getting in her way all the time and being a distraction for the akuma while Ladybug saves the day! Honestly, he doesn't deserve to be called a _hero_ because he can't even save the day without her! He's useless on his own!" Chloe inspected her nails carefully, as if she hadn't just badmouthed one of Paris' superduo in front of her entire class, supporters of both Ladybug _and_ Chat Noir.

She didn't know the storm that was headed in her direction either, " _How could you!_ " Chloe's head shot up in surprise, not expecting a rebuttal from anyone.

When she saw who spoke up, she smirked and crossed her arms, "Oh, of course little _Marinette_ butts in to defend him! You always have to be different than everyone else and fangirl over Chat Noir, don't you?" she huffed and rolled her eyes, "Where everyone loves Ladybug, you're the only one who loves that mangy cat-"

Marinette's eyes spelled death, " _Enough_ Chloe!" she stomped her foot, advancing onto her classmate and jabbing her finger in her direction sharply, "You don't know _anything_ about Chat Noir and you're always the cause for new akuma attacks so you of all people shouldn't say anything against either Ladybug _or_ Chat Noir! Ladybug is nothing without him, he always helps her when she's in a tight spot and she always has to depend on him for her plans to work so they can both save the day. Ladybug is nothing without Chat Noir and all of Paris knows that too, a lot of people love and adore Chat Noir _too_! There are times where not even Ladybug knows what to do but her partner gives her strength and the support she needs," Marinette's loud, powerful voice died down slightly at the end, "…And I'm sure without Chat Noir, Ladybug would have quit being a hero far sooner too,"

There were gasps of surprise echoed in the classroom and Chloe stood stunned in front of her dark-haired classmate, Marinette in all her angry glory with her fists clenched at her sides.

She took another step forward and poked Chloe in the sternum, "So the _next_ time you have anything to say against Chat Noir, make sure you actually _have_ something to belittle him of!" her eyes narrowed, a final warning, until she turned around and went back to her seat next to Alya, who only stared at her friend in amazement and wonder.

It took a while for Chloe to compose herself and when she did, she lunged.

At Marinette.

There was a sharp yelp of pain when Chloe's fingers dug into Marinette's dark tresses and tugging on them, "I won't let a stupid peasant like you tell _me_ what to do!" Chloe growled and yanked at Marinette, Alya jumping up to her friend's defense and trying to pry the girl away from her friend until a sudden hand clamped down sharply upon Chloe's thin wrist before Marinette could fight back.

It was Adrien.

"Adri-!" the endearment died in her throat when she saw the look on her childhood friend's face.

It was a rare sight to see the model even moderately annoyed, much less looking ready to strangle somebody like he did now, with sharp, narrowed eyes, eyes normally the color of a lush green forest now appeared almost toxic, like green poison, and all that poison was directed at Chloe.

"Let her go, Chloe," Adrien's normally soft voice was colder, firmer. A command, not a request.

Slowly, out of trepidation and shock, Chloe slowly untangled her fingers from Marinette's hair and released her hold on the girl's wrist.

Adrien slowly unlatched his grip and fixed her with a hard stare, "Apologize to her Chloe, Marinette did nothing wrong and you know it," Adrien's gaze narrowed further when it looked like Chloe was about to protest, but instead the girl swallowed her pride.

"…Yeah…well…I can't help it if you're acting as your stupid self again," that was as close as any of them would come to an apology, at least from her mouth.

Chloe trudged past Adrien and back toward her seat, avoiding the stares of all her classmates.

In that moment, from the angle Marinette had of Adrien, when she blinked, she swore in one moment she saw Chat Noir, a rare enraged sight of him standing in the place of Adrien, but when she blinked again to clear her vision, an equally rare sight of an enraged _Adrien_ stood before her.

When the blond model turned to her with a soft smile and a warm fondness in his eyes she didn't quite know where it came from, she felt at a loss, "Are you alright Marinette?"

She swore, she saw Chat smiling at her.

* * *

 _On the sixth day of May, I got a cat._

" _Chat Noir!_ You know my parents can't know you're up here!" Marinette whisper-shouted to her secret partner-in-crime, who was currently stuffing his mouth full of the remaining cookies that used to be on the platter he held in his hands.

He licked his lips and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, his eyes impossibly wide and pleading, " _Purrleaseee_ princess, I _purromise_ I'll behave!" he blinked at her adorably, like a big oversized kitten seeking affection.

Curse her weak heart, "But Chat-!"

" _Meowwwchhhh! Meoooaaawwchh! Mroooouuwww…_ " Marinette slapped her hand roughly onto the cat's roaring mouth, effectively shutting him up.

Her gaze narrowed, "If I heard _one more_ meow from you…" she pointed up at her balcony warningly.

Chat Noir grinned and placed a hand over his heart, "Cat's honor princess, I'll be as quiet as a mouse," he winked and Marinette groaned.

How did she end up in these ridiculous situations?

She quickly made a beeline toward the kitchen, tiptoeing to not alert her parents sitting in the living room watching TV. As swiftly as she could, Marinette gathered the leftovers of today's goods and piled them all on the plate, filling it to the brim.

Marinette's entire body froze on the spot when her mother's voice suddenly sounded, "Marinette, we heard a strange noise coming from your room, is everything alright?"

Mentally cursing her partner, Marinette robotically turned to look at the questioning looks from her parents, "Uh-y-yes! Yeah! I'm fine maman! There's uh, nothing wrong!" she grinned widely, too widely.

Sabine hummed thoughtfully, "Oh, I see. We thought we heard a cat mewling that's all,"

Tom smiled, chuckling, "Must be the neighbors cat again,"

Marinette panicked internally, their neighbors had _cats_?

Instead, she laughed, "Y-yeah! It was that neighbor's cat again! Hahaha! Well, um, see you later I'm gonna go talk to Alya!"

After Marinette sprinted up toward her room, Sabine smiled and looked up at her husband, "Our neighbors don't have any cats, good thing Marinette didn't know that," Tom chuckled.

"How long until we tell her we know?" he raised an eyebrow, shooting a glance up at the ceiling.

Sabine smiled and turned back toward the TV, "Let's wait a little while, dear. Sooner or later, they'll come to us, cats are curious creatures after all and Marinette's never been a good liar,"

Tom wrapped an arm around his wife's shoulders and smirked, "Where you're right, you're right," they both smiled at each-other, pretending not to hear the ecstatic mewls from a certain hero and their daughter's groans of exasperation.

It took them two weeks until a frightful superhero and a hyperventilating daughter of their's came downstairs to tell them how she had been secretly feeding Chat Noir cookies because apparently, the boy followed a strict diet and wasn't allowed those 'cheat days' for such food.

Needless to say, Tom and Sabine made sure every day was a cheat day whenever the adorable cat decided to visit them.

Marinette did always want a cat and since they were sure he was potty trained and well-behaved, they decided to simply adopt him.

 **Part 2 will follow! :) Thanks for reading!**


	49. May Adventures Part 2

**_A/N:_** Hi everyone! Thank you sincerely for waiting so long for an update, I didn't bring my laptop with me and have absolutely no idea where I stopped on what story (since I always pre-write the next chapters) so I won't be updating my longer stories in a while.

 **ANSWERS TO REVIEWS:**

 **Mythril Moth:** That's up for the reader to decide, whether or not Marinette found a way to still transform into Ladybug and help Chat, or Chat went out on his own and fended off the akuma as best as he could alone (maybe even with Marinette's help), but yeah in case Ladybug didn't show, the same thing would happen as with Stoneheart :)

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

 **May Adventures Part 2**

 _On the eight day of May I nearly got my first kiss._

Marinette rubbed her chin thoughtfully at Tikki's suggestion, "So, you think he might lay off with the flirting if I...flirt back?" she rose an eyebrow, clearly sceptical.

The kwami's expression remained the same: amused, "Mhm! That's right, Marinette!" she twirled mid-air, giggling, "It worked on the past Chat Noirs!"

Just before Marinette could inquire more about those 'past Chat Noirs', there was a familiar thud on her balcony and a all too familiar tap on her window.

She sighed.

Tikki was giggling and smiling from her quick retreat under Marinette's desk, watching the girl ascend the stairs to come outside and greet the cat.

Tikki smiled, "... _sometimes."_ she giggled again, covering her mouth. She was sure to get in trouble with Marinette for her little stunt. No doubt Plagg would be dumbfounded too if another Ladybug tried that old trick out.

When Marinette came out through the hatch, Chat Noir's expression was the same every time he saw her, elated, "Princess! I missed you!"

Sighing, Marinette smiled, "Nice to see you too, Chat Noir," she wondered how he visited her so soon after their latest encounter, "So, what do I deserve to have the honour of the great Chat Noir visiting me...again?" she crossed her arms, smirking.

Chat Noir didn't let her sarcastic words affect him, instead he grinned and discreetly flexed, "I was in the area and thought to visit my favorite Parisian!" he peered at her with a roguish grin, "After all, I _purrty_ much _hissed_ you _purrincess_ ," he winked, resting a hand against the side of her window.

Marinette smirked.

And slithered smoothly toward his side, a smirk on her lips, "Oh _really_? What a coincidence, chaton. I missed you a lot too," trying hard to suppress her laughter, Marinette teasingly poked his chest, leaning in so closely their noses almost touched, waiting for his reaction.

His whole face lit up in flames, the scarlet color looking alarmingly bright on his cheeks, even through his mask, "W-Wha-" he moved his hand away, eyes widened.

Marinette grinned, scooting closer and playfully bumping his bell, "In fact, I was just thinking about you," she smiled brightly, trying to hide her real thoughts from showing on her face, "I mean, you are a superhero, surely you have to work out a lot, huh?" she teasingly squeezed the surprisingly firm muscle of his upper arm, quickly snatching her hand back when she felt a little too hot under her collar, "A-and not to mention your _pawsome_ puns! You must be so smart coming up with all of them, right?" she leaned in, their noses almost touching and she felt her Ladybug confidence skyrocket at the bewildered, flushed look about him. Their lips were only a hairs breath apart and Marinette felt her heart beat wildly.

His eyes briefly zeroed in on her lips, so close to his and his pupils dilated until he tensed.

Wait...Marinette wasn't behaving like Marinette...was she..could she... _flirt...flirting with him?!_

Chat Noir looked ready to turn tail and flee about now, if his scarlet cheeks and ears and his wildly flicking tail were any indication.

Violently springing away to gain distance between them, Chat Noir coughed awkwardly, hastily pounding on his chest to regain his breath and quickly reached for his baton, "Ah...t-that...that-that I mean, I have to go princess! S-save um, Paris and all!" with the speed and agility true to his namesake, Chat Noir was away from her balcony in less than seconds, vaulting off from building to building in an oddly hurry.

Lightly slapping her pink cheeks, Marinette entered her bedroom again and climbed down the stairs, "Maybe I overdid it..."

Grinning more like a cat than a bug, Tikki floated up to her face, oddly happy, "So? Did it work?"

Marinette frowned, she looked _far too_ happy.

"Uh...I think?" she was truly at a loss for words, her heart was oddly pitter-pattering too.

Marinette coughed and shakily touched her lips.

Chat Noir stumbled into his room and Adrien fell on the bed right when his transformation dropped, falling face-first.

Plagg was...oddly silent.

Giving himself a few moments for his blush to calm down to a light pink, Adrien finally turned his head towards his kwami, "Plagg?"

The little cat god looked...dazzled.

"That clever bug..." Adrien swore Plagg whispered those words under his breath.

"...Plagg?"

"Huh?" the kwami finally regarded his charge with a fllustered look.

"...What...just happened?" Adrien blinked.

Plagg sighed and curled around his camembert on the bed, "...I'll tell you when you're older kid..." he munched on his cheese with a pout, silently cursing his red bug for managing to trick him again with underhanded tactics.

Again.

* * *

 _On the tenth day of May, I got...a broken heart._

It was the sound of her sobbing that convinced him stopping by her balcony was the right choice for tonight.

Chat Noir had done his patrols for the night with a heavy heart, guilt riding deep within his chest.

Ever since the incident with Marinette and Chloe at school, Adrien's head and heart were in turmoil.

It had never been his intention to _hurt_ Marinette, but Chloe was his childhood friend and he couldn't have just cancelled a last-minute fotoshoot even if it was with Chloe...

Still...rejecting Marinette after promising her they would eat ice-cream together was cruel, especially to her.

And it had pained him too.

He had asked his father in advance, knowing how the man liked order and planning things ahead. Thankfully, uncharacteristically, his father actually allowed it. Adrien had a hunch Nathalie was behind it, but that could wait later.

Now, he needed to set things right.

And let Chat do what _Adrien_ couldn't.

Be there for Marinette.

Carefully balancing the box in his hand, Chat Noir landed with a soft thud on top of her roof, gazing down at her back sadly.

Marinette slowly turned and the look cleared from his face, "Good evening, princess," he jumped down, noting the tear streaks marking her cheeks as she tried to hastily wipe them away.

Chat's heart tightened.

"Hey kitty...um..give me a minute," she turned her back to him again to wipe any remainders of her tears away before she regarded him with a forced smile, "How comes you dropped by tonight?"

Shuffling his feet, Chat took a breath and steeled his nerves. He could do this.

Taking the box and holding it out to her, Chat scratched the back of his neck when Marinette opened it, "...Ice-cream?"

He chuckled weakly, "Yeah...we hadn't eaten any in a while and I thought it uh, might be a good time but..I can go if you want," his ears were flat on his head and his gaze was apologetic, trying to convey to her things Adrien Agreste was too dense to say outright.

But he _wasn't_ Adrien Agreste _now_ , he was Chat Noir and _Chat Noir_ , as far as Marinette knew, did nothing wrong to warrant such an apology-looking gift.

Marinette rose an eyebrow and giggled quietly," You know...um," she bit her lip, "I...hadn't had a good day today so, I could use some compay...if you want to stay," she finally smiled up at him, the sadness slowly ebbing away from her bluebell eyes, her smile seemed still a little sad but genuine enough.

Chat smiled back, "Of course princess," together, they walked toward the two chairs on her balcony, Marinette having decided that due to his frequent visits her guest shouldn't sit on dangerously thin metal railings or the cold, harsh floor anymore.

Seizing the blanket on his chair, Chat draped it over her shoulders snugly but rose an eyebrow Marinette held one side of her blanket open, "Come on Chat, I won't let you freeze,"

Truth be told, while the night was cool, it was fairly comfortable to walk in a sweater but Marinette knew just how thin the suits were and she wasn't about to let him silently suffer while he so warmly offered to comfort her.

Thinking twice if he should or not, he finally relented, pushing the two chairs together and snuggling up to the girl so their hips and legs were touching, both wrapped up in the blanket.

Funny, it was red with black dots.

An ice-cream cone suddenly filled his vision and Chat took it from Marinette, "Thanks princess,"

Marinette shook her head, taking her own ice-cream and setting the box aside, "I should be the one thanking you Chat Noir...you still came to see me even with your duties in the way,"

Cancelling two late night shoots and possibly facing an irate father in the morning was the least of his troubles if his princess was hurting because of him, "Think nothing of it princess, a good hero knows when somebody needs a hero or..." and suddenly, Chat almost couldn't say the word 'friend' anymore.

Sure, Marinette was just a friend to Adrien, but was the same thing true for...her and Chat?

At her expectant look, he quickly added, "-uh, a listening ear and a shoulder to lean on," he grinned awkwardly, hoping she didn't feel offended by his brief pause.

Marinette smiled instead and he felt her lean into him more, "You're right...you're a good hero Chat..." in a rare display of affection, Marinette settled a hand on his shoulder and leaned her cheek on his chest, "...and an even better friend,"

He could see a few tears sliding down his suit, but he wrapped an arm around her frame and kept her close, his melting ice-cream abandoned somewhere on the side of the street.

He felt the familiar, embarrassing sounds and vibrations coming from him and he swore he would ask Plagg how to turn off the purring at will. He awkwardly tried to shift away from Marinette to not make her uncomfortable, but the girl gripped his hand and squeezed his middle with her other one, "It's fine kitty...the purring helps," she whispered ever so quietly and Chat's heart went out to her again.

Looking down at the top of her head, Chat nuzzled her affectionately and his purring grew slightly louder.

He had hoped to make her feel better, but he hadn't expected for him to feel infinitely better as well.

"I'm sorry Marinette..." but she was already in a light sleep and he swore he would make it right, as Adrien this time.

"Marinette!" Adrien waved and the girl froze on the spot but relaxed when he approached her. She no longer looked sad, more like...content... "I'm sorry about yesterday, but I was wondering, if you were free for today, we could go and eat some ice-cream," he smiled, hoping his efforts wouldn't go to waste.

Marinette smiled apologetically, "Oh, um, I'm really sorry Adrien but I'm already meeting up with someone today,"

A pang of hurt crossed his heart but he shook his head, "Oh, no problem Marinette. That's...fine,"

Marinette then left back to her seat and Adrien strained his hearing to catch what Alya was drilling Marinette for.

" _Girl! Did you just seriously turn down Adrien Agreste?! What is wrong with you? Do you know how long I worked for you to talk normally to him?! Who's that mystery guy you're meeting today? You didn't tell me a thing!"_ Alya was talking so quickly, Adrien nearly missed what she was saying.

Marinette seemed a bit flustered, " _Oh..err..he's just...a really, really good friend. He...comforted me last night and I told him we could watch some movies today to thank him,"_

Alya continued firing questions but Adrien's mind shut down.

Wait...

A guy that comforted her last night.

He would watch movies with her today.

Chat Noir comforted her last night.

Chat Noir would be watching movies with her today.

 _HE_ would be watching movies with her today.

Adrien smiled dopily, ignoring the suspicious look Nino was giving him from how fast a dejected look turned into a lovestruck smile.

Nino shook his head, "Dude..." he shot another look at his friend, "I need to get paid for this,"

* * *

 _On the thirteenth day of May, I got a ring._

Wide eyes stared down at the object in his leather-clad palm and Marinette had to blink a few times to make sure she wasn't seeing things.

Was this...? No... _no_. They were both far too young, not to mention superhero partners, but he didn't know that, which was _bad_ , and she didn't even really _know_ him as good as Alya, granted she didn't think she could know anyone as good as her, but... _but_ her heart was hammering in her chest and she was starting to hyperventilate and he was looking at her with such a serious expression and he had a guarded look about him and-

Wait.

There was an _akuma_ on the loose.

 _Why was he here proposing when there's an akuma on the loose?!_

"Promise me to always wear this princess," without waiting for her reaction, Chat gently but firmly grabbed her hand and slid the ring nigh effortlessly onto her finger.

It was similar to his one but different in design, more slender and thinner but still his colors, black and green, not exactly normal for a wedding ring but since when was anything about them normal?

"Uh, I wait-what?" Marinette blinked dumbly.

Chat grabbed his staff, the sounds of screams and destruction sounding louder, "It tells me where you are and if you're in danger," he pointed at the green paw in the middle of it, similar to his own ring, "Press the button if you're in danger, I'll come as fast as I can," their gazes locked and Marinette's breath caught in her throat, "I promise,"

With that, he quickly disappeared from sight, off to fend off the akuma until Ladybug arrived.

Marinette stood still, hand clasped around the one with the ring on it, she couldn't explain it but it was like she felt Chat's energy emit from it, something she would need to ask Tikki about.

For now, she was needed.

"Tikki, spots on!"

 **Thanks for (still) reading! :3**


	50. Indulging Him

**A/N:** Hey everyone! I'm so very sorry for the terrible delay. I lost my laptop and I was in a dump for a week or two until I finally got to writing again. I'm writing on my phone until I purchase a new laptop, so updates may be slower. I apawlagize in advance! .

 **ANSWERS FOR REVIEWS:**

 **MarryChat** : Hi there! Ah...already? (sweat drop) I'm still new to tumblr so I'm still learning the ropes and my updates may be far and few between but I'm trying ^.^ Also, thanks for the nice compliments :3 I jotted down all the suggestions!

 **As for all the other reviews, so far Canon Marichat has the most requests so I'll try to upload a few one shots dedicated to it! :)**

 **Prompt: CanonMarichat Wish Prompt!**

 **Rated: K**

* * *

 **Indulging Him**

There was a brief, soft thud on the balcony behind her. Soundless for normal civilians but not enough silent for Marinette's honed ears due to her line of work as Ladybug.

She knew who the visitor was before she even saw him ,"What a _purrety_ _meowden_ ," the playful purr came from her secret crime fighting partner and it made her snort.

Chat Noir mistook the soft noise as a shy giggle or an attempt at suppressing her laughter and he grinned, chest filling with a sense of pride.

Marinette rolled her eyes playfully and felt amused at teasing her oblivious partner, plastering on a smile before turning around to look at the smug cat, "That the best you got chaton?"she watched as he gracefully leaped down to sit on the railing beside her shooting her a smirk.

"Not at all purrincess, want to hear more? I have a list," he grinned and she shook her head, the ghost of a smile on her lips.

"What am I going to do with you kitty," she smiled in amusement.

Chat playfully leaned forward, "I can think of a _fur_ things," he grinned, mirth shining brightly in his eyes.

Marinette, deciding to indulge him, leaned so close to his increasingly blushing face and whispered lowly, "Oh really? Show _meow_ then,"

His face erupted into flames and he promptly fell off the roof.

Marinette quickly raced toward the edge of her balcony and looked down, searching for any sign of a flickering tail or cat ear, "Oh my god Chat you silly cat! Are you alright?" She was fighting every instinct to transform into Ladybug and see for herself or remain Marinette and climb down.

A weak voice and then a softly flickering tail belt entered her vision,"...just _purrfect_ princess..." there was a strange, embarrassed smile along with a red face hanging upside down a pole, his belt firmly wrapped around it and Marinette sighed in relief.

"Silly kitty," she shook her head, smirking.

Tikki giggled from her hidden spot behind Marinette's window.

 **Thanks for reading and waiting! I may upload a spoiler or two for future chapters on any of my other accounts (mostly WeHeartIt or tumblr). :)**


	51. Adopting a Cat

**A/N:** Hi everyone, I hope you have all been well. Thanks for always waiting patiently for me to update, sometimes inspiration strikes in getting ideas but not writing them well enough, so it takes me extra long to finally update again, I'm sorry :/

 **ANSWERS TO REVIEWS:**

 **I'M SO SORRY** I would really love to answer each and every one of your reviews personally and individually but since so many of them are prompt requests I will say this: **THANK YOU!** Honestly dear readers and fellow fans, **thank you for supporting me until now**. I've written down every prompt request and wrote out a few prompts already, as well as how many I will write depending on the request (I noted at least 4 - 5 chapters for the Canon Marichat prompt, since so many requested it lol).

 **Prompt: CanonMarichat Wish Prompt! Where Chat gets adopted.**

 **Rated: K+**

* * *

 **Adopting a Cat**

"Um…princess?" Chat's ears drooped to his head, claw half-raised in the air, "…What are you doing?"

Marinette was scribbling something down furiously, something on a slip of paper and after careful consideration, Chat Noir finally approached her and looked over her shoulder curiously.

His gaze softened and his body relaxed in relief, an amused chuckle escaping him, "Is that a menu?" he could feel a strange sense of inner delight when there was a lot of days marked as "camembert". Definitely Plagg's influence.

Marinette smiled, continuing to write, "Yup! Mama said whenever you'd visit us, we would make sure you don't starve while you're here, this is a bakery after all and my parents have the policy of never allowing anyone leaving this house without having eaten _something_ ," she smiled at him, turning her head to look up at his expression, "What do you think?"

Chat Noir's smile softened and he carefully leaned down, placing a shy nuzzle on the top of Marinette's head, "It's _purrfect_ princess," he grinned, a blush coloring his cheeks beneath the mask.

Marinette's own face heated and she quickly swiveled out of her chair, the menu she was holding shaking profusely, "I-I'll go tell mama!"

Chat leaped, quite literally, at the opportunity, "I'll go with you!" willing her blush to go down before her mother saw it, Marinette, followed closely by Chat, walked downstairs.

She peeked behind the wall to see her parents preparing everything for opening up business and at Marinette's squeak, when Chat Noir's hand accidentally settled on her shoulder and not the wall, they both turned around.

Sabine smiled brightly, "Good morning you two! We've been wondering when you'd come down to eat," Tom twirled around with a flourish, what looked to be a breakfast tray in hand already.

"That's right! I hope you brought quite the appetite, because you will _loaf_ this breakfast! _Butter_ late than ever am I right?" Tom grinned widely, "Oh! No _bun_ intended!" he winked at Chat Noir, who looked about ready to cry.

"Y-Yes, sir!" he couldn't believe it, Marinette's dad made jokes!

 _Puns!_

 _Bread puns!_

Like a real cat, Chat bounded toward the table, bowing politely and taking out the chair for Sabine, who walked over to set down the tea she had brewed and thanked Chat Noir with a soft, motherly smile before sitting down.

Looking at her family sitting with Chat Noir at their table, as if they did this every day and was a completely normal occurrence, she blinked.

 _Was she dreaming?_

Chat's tail wiggled in the background excitedly and he beamed at all the delicious pastries, scrambled eggs, a box of cereals, streaks of bacon and other heavenly goods set out on the table.

Chat bowed rapidly, his ears flattened to his head, his eyes impossibly wide, "Thank you so much for having me and I'm sorry I didn't tell you about visiting Marinette!" he kept his head bowed, back straight and taut and Marinette was about to jump to her kitty's defense until her mother gently ruffled his messy hair, causing him to look at her questioningly.

Sabine smiled, "It's alright Chat Noir, we knew all along. We wanted to give you some privacy so we never went up when we heard you were there, you're Paris' superhero, we trust you and Marinette," Chat's whole body relaxed when he looked at Sabine's trusting smile and Tom's big, encouraging grin.

"That's right, we know our little girl can be a magnet for trouble, but we know she always chooses her friends right," he winked at the blond, who smiled.

Sabine giggled and covered her mouth, "As well as potential boyfriends," she gave Chat a playful wink.

Marinette shrieked, "M-Mama!"

Her parents laughed, oblivious to the two tomatoes in the room.

 **Question** **: Since there are requests for other pairings other than Marichat, do you guys think it would be a good idea to start writing a one shot compilation about Miraculous in general (not just Marichat)? Tell me what you think in the reviews! Thank you! :3**


	52. A Feline on my Mind

**A/N:** Hello everyone! I'm sorry for being absent for so long, I'd planned a one shot on New Year's, but I was away from my laptop and couldn't really write full chapters (except short ones on tumblr, which I'll also post here). I hope you enjoy!

 **ANSWERS TO REVIEWS:**

 **Starshine89:** Thanks for your opinion! I'm still thinking of just writing up a one-shot collection about the Love Square in general, but before that, I need to practice writing them better :3

 **Demi clayton:** Thank you! I'll do my best to write the other sides of the Love Square too!

 **Rileeeeeey: T_T** I LOVE YOUR SWEET REVIEWS! THANK YOU! T_T Ugh, I rarely ever hear anyone staying up late to read my fics and I usually stay up late to read really amazing fanfics, so hearing myself being included among them is just so sweet! Thank you! And sure thing about the Pregnant Marinette prompt! (I like writing her pregnant or as a mom too, I have no idea why though.)

 **Guest:** Of course! Thanks for the review dear guest! :3 Your prompt sounds really interesting, of course I will write it uhm, it just may take a bit before I finish the earlier requests, but I WILL write it don't worry! :)

 **Kazza2182:** Sure, I'll be glad to write it! :D

 **MLMomFan:** Thank you! :)

* * *

 **Prompt: CanonMarichat! Marinette writes in her diary about Chat Noir. Set Post Weredad!**

 **A Feline on my Mind**

Marinette bit the rubber end of her pencil, staring at the blank page of her diary.

Tikki was munching on the still warm cookies from beside her charge, looking at the girl curiously, "What are you thinking about Marinette?"

Marinette sighed and laid her head flat on the floor, exhaling loudly, "I don't know Tikki, everything's been such a blur ever since…" flashbacks to the incident not even two full weeks ago surfaced in her mind and Marinette shook her head stubbornly.

Tikki frowned and inquired the girl cautiously, "Are you talking about the time you were trapped in the giant thorn prison?"

Marinette lifted her head and rested her chin upon her palm, "You mean the time I lied about loving Chat Noir?"

The ancient kwami winced, hoping to not reopen the awkward moment, but she nodded nonetheless.

The bluehaired girl smiled wryly, "Yeah, I mean that time." Her gaze slid over her room, littered here and there with her latest design ideas, papers strewn upon her bed and walls, half-done creations hanging on mannequins or hangers, then she looked at her window, "I wonder what Chat Noir is doing…"

Rubbing her chin, Tikki suddenly floated up brightly into Marinette's face, "I heard it helps to write about it!" the kwami giggled, "If you're thinking about something so much that it bothers you, writing about it and analyzing the situation and your feelings will help deal with it." Tikki smiled, remembering a time long since past, a time where letters were a much more common communication tool and her previous Ladybug had often written letters to her dark knight.

Marinette's brow rose curiously, staring down at the blank page on her diary, "Well…I did want to write anyway…" she slowly pressed her pencil on the paper, chewing on her bottom lip, "I never wrote about Chat Noir before…"

Or well, she _had_ , but those were quick mentions about the akuma fight, his antics or some of his puns, never a whole page dedicated to him.

Marinette started writing.

 _Dear diary…_

 _Oh, I don't know what to do! I can't stop thinking about the akuma battle two weeks ago! Or…more precisely, before that…_

Marinette groaned, before starting again.

 _Papa got akumatized this time, it was kind of sweet, how overprotective papa was of me, he got so angry that he got akumatized by Hawkmoth into Weredad, an evil villain that trapped me inside a rosy thorn prison. Can you believe that? Thorns? It all felt so weird._

 _Of course, I can't blame papa for any of it. It was my fault to be honest, I mean, I just had to go and blurt out that I was in love with Chat Noir, which I totally am not!_

Marinette frowned, Tikki watching her curiously from her position a little ways away to give her privacy.

 _Anyway, it was my fault that papa got akumatized and Chat Noir got hurt! I didn't see the battle from being trapped in those thorns and trying to find Tikki, but I can imagine how tough it must've been, papa isn't exactly weak and I can't imagine Chat Noir willingly fighting him either…_

 _But…I couldn't believe how considerate Chat Noir was too. He rejected me, but he wasn't being a jerk about it, not at all, he just said what he really felt and nobody can blame anyone for their feelings, right?_

The pencil hovered over the page, a frown appearing on Marinette's face.

She slowly continued to write, her thoughts slower.

 _I still feel guilty about lying to Chat Noir, despite me not feeling the same, he didn't deserve any of that. He is a sweet, funny, incredibly brave and really kind guy…not to forget very full of himself and his constant use of puns. Did he really say during breakfast that he would marry himself if he could?_

Marinette snorted and rolled her eyes.

 _At first, I thought that was Chat Noir just being…well himself, but it got me thinking. Chat Noir must've been really nervous, just like me, he didn't want to hurt me I know that, so it must've been really difficult for him to even come at all, honestly though, I was hoping he hadn't. Maybe none of those things would've happened if he hadn't come…but then again, none of that would've happened if I just kept my big mouth closed._

She sighed, resting her chin on her hands, her feet gently moving behind her in the air languidly.

Her eyes scanned the page, almost full and Marinette suddenly thought of what to write for the end.

 _Chat Noir may not be the guy I'm head over heels for, but he's very important to me and I'm glad he's here after everything. He may not be my prince charming, but he's still my partner and a cute kitty._

Wait…

Marinette flushed, her pencil dropping from her grip, "Did I just-just w-write Chat Noir is _cute_?!" unnoticed by Marinette's panicky state, Tikki stared at her chosen wide eyed, a small giggle escaping her.

Marinette jumped to her feet wobbly, quickly closing her diary and shaking her head, "No, no, no, no. I don't think Chat Noir is cute, no, no, no. He's just my partner- uh my teammate! Right! My teammate!" Marinette kept chanting the word 'teammate' aloud, marching over to her desk and trying to rearrange her design drafts and busy herself in any way she could.

Tikki quietly flew to her still open diary book and smiled after reading the last few sentences.

 _Chat Noir may not be the guy I'm head over heels for, but he's very important to me and I'm glad he's here after everything._

The ancient being sighed and looked out the window, thinking of her counterpart, " _I bet Plagg is having his hands full too with Adrien…"_ she watched how the girl zipped this way and that, stll chanting 'teammate' under her breath, " _Well, at least their relationship improved. From 'too cocky' to 'cute', that's progress!"_

The kwami was pleased.

 **Eh, sorry, this was more implied Marichat than actual Marichat, I'll try to write the next chapter better. Thanks for still reading everyone! :3 Have a meowsome day!**


	53. Safe

**Prompt: Marichat Fluff Wish! Chat Noir had a nightmare and he transforms to make sure his princess is safe.**

 **Rated: K+**

* * *

 **Safe**

Adrien jumped awake in his bed, nearly knocking out Plagg, who had slept peacefully on top of Adrien's head.

"Ow! Hey! I almost caught the cheese wheel! Adrien why did-" Plagg's annoyed rant died down as soon as he saw the haunted look on the blond's face and he quickly hovered near him, "Adrien? You okay buddy? What happened?" he watched how his whole body shook in small tremors.

Adrien frantically searched the bed, his eyes scanning his dark, empty room and his breathing quickened even more, "Where…what…Plagg,"

Plagg flew in front of Adrien's face and grasped his cheeks, "Adrien! Talk to me pal! What's wrong?" he would never admit it out loud, but he was really starting to worry for the kid.

"Where's Marinette?" the question flew out of his lips in a hurry and Plagg rarely ever heard such a serious and worried tone in the boy's voice, except during akuma fights.

Plagg sighed in relief, floating back down on the bed after making sure nothing was amiss, "Pigtails girl is probably sleeping as she _we_ by the way," Plagg settled in against Adrien's side again, yawning loudly, "Come on Adrien, let's go back to slee-"

"Plagg, claws out!"

"Wait, _what_?!" Plagg shouted as he got sucked into the ring and Chat Noir suddenly kicked off the covers of his bed, rushing straight forward and jumping out the window into the dead of the night.

* * *

The streets of Paris were mostly empty, save for a few wandering souls who found no rest tonight, just like him.

He, unlike them, had somewhere to be.

Jumping from roof to roof, baton spinning faster than normal and feet jumping higher than his usual leaps, it took him no time at all to finally land on the familiar balcony with no sound at all.

Reattaching his baton to his back, Chat Noir carefully walked over to the large window, peering inside.

His blood ran cold.

His eyes stayed glued to the bed, unoccupied, covers strewn about wildly, light coming from downstairs.

Marinette was gone.

 _Just like in my nightmare._

Claws dug deeply into the wooden texture of the window, " _No."_

Quickly, Chat Noir pushed the hatch door open, landing onto the empty bed, baton in hand, ears arched forward and eyes scanning the pink room for any signs of danger.

The covers were still warm, she _had_ to be here.

Panic gripped his heart, but he stubbornly forced it back down when he heard footsteps approaching the door, a shadow cast by the low light downstairs.

Did the intruder come back? What happened to the Dupain-Chengs?

With cat-like reflexes, Chat Noir leaped toward the shadowy figure emerging from the stairs, baton raised over his head, ears drawn back, teeth bared in a snarl until he spotted the midnight blue hair and the bluebell eyes opened wide in shock.

"Princ-!" his words got caught off by extending his staff to lengthen, both ends of his baton pressing against either sides of the walls of Marinette's room firmly.

The abrupt throw back caused his body to lurch forward and back violently and Chat quickly dropped to his feet once he gathered his bearings.

He panted from the rush of fear that had swept over him from seeing the empty bed, devoid of the sweet girl that would gift him exquisite croissants and snarky remarks from his nightly visits.

"Chat Noir! What are you doing here? What happ-" Marinette kneeled down to inspect her partner until she was suddenly enveloped in a tight hug.

"Princess, you're safe!" Marinette blinked, placing her hands slowly on Chat Noir's trembling back.

"Chat Noir?" her previously panicked voice had softened to a whisper, "What's wrong? Why wouldn't I be safe?"

She felt his body still, his voice uncharacteristically low, "I…I had a nightmare." His grip tightened around her, "That you got captured by an akuma and imprisoned. I…couldn't save you."

Realization dawned on Marinette, memories of a frantic Chat Noir urging Ladybug to save Marinette first from the destroyed thorn tower, rushing inside the bakery to see if she was alright.

Marinette's slack grip around the superhero tightened, a hand coming up to gently run through his hair, "It's alright kitty, I'm here and safe." She smiled playfully, "Well, you did save me, I'm sure I would've tripped over the last step if it weren't for you making me freeze on the spot." She giggled quietly and Chat Noir chuckled, his head moving slightly against her own.

"I'm sorry, I thought you were an intruder." Marinette shook her head at his apology.

"It's alright Chat Noir…" her eyes darted toward the moon in the dark sky, "Why don't you stay here until I fall asleep? That way you can chase away my nightmares and I'll make sure you won't have yours anymore." She patted his back gently and they broke apart.

He mustered her with big haunted green eyes, still a little alert, a little scared from his nightmare.

Wordlessly, he nodded.

Marinette smiled, catching sight of Tikki stealthily flying into her hiding spot under Marinette's desk while she led the superhero up the steps towards her bed above.

It felt weird, being with a boy alone in her room at night, but this was Chat Noir, a boy she trusted with her life.

Marinette crawled into her bed and before she could contemplate on where to make sure Chat Noir was comfortable, she found the cat already lounging on the far edge of the bed, leaning against the wall, watching her.

She pulled the covers up to her chin, suddenly feeling shy, "Are you…sure this is okay?" she was sure he would get back pain from the uncomfortable position.

He only sent her a reassuring smile, "I've already overstayed my welcome, a little pain is nothing to endure for my princess' sake."

The girl huffed, "Don't be silly Chat Noir, you're always welcome here." Both grew silent after her declaration and Marinette turned to her side, trying to ignore the odd heat in her cheeks, "Good night kitty, sweet dreams." She closed her eyes, feeling his presence and she felt somehow at ease, as if he really was chasing away invisible demons that had caused her mostly restless nights.

A soft smile grew on Chat Noir's face, "Good night Marinette." He leaned his cheek against his propped up fist, watching the gentle rise and fall of her body beneath the covers, "Sweet dreams." The gentle purr escaping him made him settle in more comfortably, feeling at peace now, knowing she was safe and sound under his watchful eye.

 **Thanks for reading! Also posted on Tumblr! :)**


	54. In a Cage

P **rompt: (from anon on tumblr)Can you do a marichat kidnap fic where hawkmoth/akuma notices their friendship and hold marinette hostage**

 **Rated: K+ - T**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

 **In A Cage**

Chat Noir smiled after bidding goodbye to an exhausted Ladybug, waving at her until she was no longer in sight.

He sighed, feeling oddly happy despite the harsh battle they've had today.

Hawkmoth seemed to be getting restless lately, usually one akuma attack occurred once a day, but for the past few weeks there have been more and more, usually two, at most three, but today's two akuma's came at the _same_ time and had proven challenging.

Hawkmoth must've been using Mayura's help to aid him in these latest akuma attacks, since Hawkmoth's limit was one akumatization per transformation. It had left both him and his lady exhausted.

Kaleido and Spotlight had unique abilities they haven't been faced with before. Kaleido's abilities employed the use of mirrors, she was even capable of creating prison-like cells with them, rendering whoever entered into them immobile to escape. Spotlight's abilities included creating bright flashes of light with the help of his reflecting suit, which was made of thousands of small pearl-like glass littering his suit like scales over a snake.

Their powers were formidable when used together, especially once they'd cornered and trapped them within the mirror prison.

Kaleido's disembodied voice had rang loudly in their ears and the bright flashes from Spotlight forced them to close their eyes and cover their ears, unable to orientate themselves or attempt to break free. Ladybug couldn't even call for her lucky charm without being nearly blinded by the bright flashes and the screeching sounds Keleido made.

Weirdly enough, it had been Chat Noir's sensitive hands and legs that had busted them out. He had sensed their movements through subtle vibrations in the ground and by following the origins of those vibrations, he'd stumbled upon one of the mirrors and had quickly used Cataclysm to destroy them, finally freeing them.

Ladybug had used her Lucky Charm and they managed to finish them quickly afterward.

Chat Noir wouldn't forget just how useful duct tape could be, especially when it means covering the mirrors Kaleido wore as a straight dress and the glittery suit Spotlight wore, along with the small headlights on his shoulders that had caused and reflected the light off Kaleido's mirror dress and his own suit.

He was used to mirrors and flashlights, but he would see them in a bit of a different _light_ now.

Chat Noir's face brightened up instantly, "That was a good pun! I have to tell Marinette that one!" he grinned like the sun, until a warning beep from his Miraculous reminded him to recharge, "….Right after Plagg eats…" Chat sighed, making a detour and hiding behind a building to detransform and feed Plagg before making his way over to Marinette.

Adrien stood in place of Chat Noir,impatiently tapping his foot as he watched the ancient creature stuff his mouth full of wedges of camembert, "Come on Plagg."

The black cat god shot him a look, "Excuse _you_ loverboy, but _some_ people have to eat to replenish their strength!" Adrien rolled his eyes at his kwami's knack for exaggerating and leaned against the wall.

"You ate a whole cheese wheel before I transformed, how can you possibly have burned all of that up already?"

Plagg floated up to Adrien's face, munching on the last bits of cheese, "Hey! Those akumas today were tough to deal with! And all that screaming from that mirror lady made me hungry sooner!" Adrien still didn't quite understand the logic behind it, but he wouldn't complain, his kwami did have to eat after all.

If he wanted to go to Marinette sooner.

Plagg noted his charge's anxious fidgeting, smirking wickedly, "Ohh, excited to see your _princess_ again, are you?" there was something positively crazy in Plagg's eyes and Adrien cleared his throat.

"Marinette is my friend Plagg, of course I'm excited to see her. Besides, she did invite me to croissants today." A bright smile enveloped Adrien's face and Plagg's demeanor softened a bit at the happy expression on the boy's face.

Plagg sighed heavily, "Oh, alright, alright. Just don't get all sappy with me, loverboy." With a look of disapproval from Adrien and a cheeky grin from Plagg, Chat Noir stood again in the alley.

He gripped his baton and sailed high over the building, jumping over onto the rooftops until he stopped when a small flower shop caught his eye.

Maybe he should do a quick stop before going to Marinette's…

* * *

" _Kaleido! Have you regained sight of him?!"_ Hawkmoth growled in frustration, calming down slightly when Mayura placed a calming hand on his shoulder and offered an encouraging smile.

"No need to worry, I believe he'll show up again soon." Mayura's words reassured him if only slightly.

It was his luck that the conflict between the two akumatized people hadn't been resolved, the breaking of a precious, old mirror by the clumsy man who'd worked on the headlights of the theater the mirror was supposed to be delivered to had again enraged the woman who'd personally owned mirror, a family heirloom she'd decided to donate to the theater.

Until it got shattered, like her hopes.

With Mayura's help, Hawkmoth was able to akumatized her again.

 _My name is Mayura, you're overwhelmed by despair and hopelessness for the precious artifact that had belonged to your family for generations, now laying in broken shards. Let me help you, let your despair be embodied in the form of a helper!_

With Hawkmoth's aid, he was able to akumatized her again into Kaleidoscope and have her accompanied by a large chameleon.

They'd been tailing Chat Noir, until they've lost sight of him suddenly.

Kaleido's eyes narrowed, " _There!"_ the hero had jumped from some alleyway, back onto the rooftops, until after crossing several buildings, he'd jumped back down onto the road and entered a-

Hawkmoth grew confused, "…A flower shop?"

Mayura observed the scene quietly, wondering why on earth someone like Chat Noir could possibly need flowers for, she quietly voiced her opinions, "Perhaps the cat has a significant other to visit?"

Hawkmoth snorted, "Really? It appears to me that Ladybug has already left, unless he plans on contacting her again." A slow grin spread over his lips, " _Kaleido, be on the lookout for any sightings of Ladybug_!"

Kaleido crouched down low on her perch from a skyscraper, watching Chat Noir walk back out of the flower shop and jump back onto roofs, "Yes, Hawkmoth." She jumped after the hero.

* * *

Chat Noir anxiously held the small bouquet of flowers carefully in his hand, mindful not to squeeze too tight. It wasn't anything over the top, he'd learned a bit from last time, just a few white lilies, deep pink roses and purple geraniums. Chat Noir smiled down at them, hoping things wouldn't be awkward between Marinette and him if he showed up with the flowers.

They were friends, after all.

Chat Noir landed gracefully on the familiar balcony and strapped his baton to his back, clearing his throat and straightening his bell, before cautiously stepping toward the hatch door and gently knocking on it, waiting patiently for his classmate to open it.

There were soft but thunderous footsteps, they sounded as if Marinette were running around, perhaps in panic as to who was on her balcony, or in hurry to open the door for him, he didn't know, all he knew was the grin slowly growing on his lips when the door did finally open.

"C-Chat Noir?" Marinette blinked up at the hero and at the sudden colorful, nice smelling flowers in front of her face.

Chat Noir had leaned down on his haunches, extending the flowers to the stunned girl, "Good day princess! I've been passing by this little flower shop and the flowers reminded me of your balcony, I thought these would look nice here too." He gestured toward the plants that were already on her balcony and Marinette seemed to take a few seconds to process his words and his intentions before she sprung into action, nearly colliding with him if his quick reflexes didn't kick in and step back to allow her space.

"R-right, you're right!" Marinette took the small bouquet from his hands, her nervousness fading slowly when she sniffed at them, "They…they're lovely Chat Noir, thank you." She smiled up at him and Chat Noir beamed a smile down at her, ears moving lightly atop his head.

Marinette resisted the urge to giggle, instead she walked toward one of her small empty flower pots and gingerly placed the flowers inside, grabbing a bit of earth from the opened bag and placing a generous amount of it in the pot, patting the soil down slightly to ensure the flowers were firmly inside.

Chat Noir observed her work, her actions a stark contrast to her giddy demeanor a second ago, her fingers worked calmly and methodically, with practiced ease and he was reminded how she must have acquired such calmness through her working on designs and getting lost in them.

He quietly approached her, not daring to disturb her, instead, he crouched down beside her and watched the small pot closely, until Marinette suddenly bobbed his bell playfully.

His heart stopped, "You spaced out kitty." Marinette giggled, standing up to place the pot in one of the metallic holders of her balcony fence, resting her hands on her hips and proudly mustering at her and Chat Noir's work, "Thank you for the gift, it looks great out here." She turned her head towards him again and directed that beaming smile at him again.

Chat Noir felt all his defenses shatter at her disarming look and he suddenly felt vulnerable, almost like with his lady, "Uhm, you-you're welcome princess." A small smile curved his lips as he scratched his head, trying to curb the sudden burst of feelings deep within his chest.

Marinette smiled, "To what do I owe the honor of this visit, hm? I didn't know Paris' superhero also works as a delivery florist." She crossed her arms, trying to hide her amusement at his panic-stricken look. She'd imagined him to be too exhausted to do anything else but rest, especially after today's akuma fight, but she felt oddly touched that he decided to visit her despite the exhaustion she was sure he must feel.

Chat Noir regained his earlier bravado, confidently resting his hands on his hips, "Well, you see princess, while I have thought of a change in profession, I also found the prospect of croissants with my princess simply too _purrfect_ of an _opurrtunity_ to _paws_!" he grinned widely, proud at his use of three puns in a row.

Marinette sighed, a small smile still on her lips, "I was wondering where the puns were," she smiled despite herself, "Well, maman just finished baking the last batch, why don't you wait inside and I'll be right back. Then I can show you how to lose at Ultimate Mecha Strike III!"

Chat Noir followed her inside, grinning at Marinette's suddenly more relaxed, competitive nature, "Oh, you're _on_ , princess! I'll show you what defeat tastes like!" he stretched his arms above his head, sharing a challenging look with Marinette before she disappeared downstairs.

* * *

Kaleido smirked from her hiding spot just opposite of the building with the balcony where the hero disappeared to. She glanced at her chameleon and waited, hearing Hawkmoth's voice in her head, " _Excellent work Kaleido, now we wait for the time Chat Noir leaves. It seems like we found the significant other."_ Hawkmoth's laughter resonated within her head like a mantra.

 **Part 2 will follow soon! :) I hope it's okay so far!**


	55. In a Cage Part 2

**Prompt: Continuation of "In a Cage".**

 **Rated: K+**

* * *

 **In a Cage Part 2**

It was late afternoon by the time Marinette stood on her balcony, small cookie box in hand, "Have some on your way kitty."

Chat Noir scratched the back of his neck, accepting the sweet gift, "Thank you Marinette!" there was a moment where he just looked at her, with soft green eyes and a warm smile, it almost reminded her that one time when Adrien-

"R-right! Uh, have a safe trip to uh- home! I guess we…we'll see each-other sometime!" Marinette grinned widely, inwardly panicking at her almost comparison between her crush and her good partner – _crime fighting_ partner.

Chat Noir either didn't notice her internal dilemma or was too focused looking at her, either way he chuckled and bowed like he usually did, "Thank you again for today, Marinette. I hope our paths will _croissant_ again." He winked and grinned boyishly, taking his baton out and waving at her with the hand holding the small but nicely wrapped cookie box.

A small smile came unbiddenly upon Marinette's lips and she waved back, watching his form become smaller and smaller in the distance.

"Looks like Chat Noir really loved-"

Marinette jumped, surprised to hear her kwami's voice suddenly, "W-who?!" she shrunk in on herself, like a cornered animal with wide panicked eyes.

Tikki blinked down at her, a small knowing smile on her lips, "I was talking about the cookies." The ancient goddess couldn't help but giggle at the girl's impulsiveness, outright laughing when Marinette's ears and cheeks turned pinkish.

" _T-Tikki!_ "

After the kwami had her laugh, Marinette sighed, "A-anyway, let's get back inside, because of Chat Noir I wasn't able to finish homework." Tikki's back was turned to her charge, so Marinette couldn't see the sly smirk on the kwami's face.

Or the quiet words whispered under her breath, "Since he was _such_ a distraction…"

"Tikki, did you say something?" Tikki was already inside while Marinette opened the hatch again.

"Nu-uh!" came the goddess' cheeky reply.

Marinette rose an eyebrow, certain she heard something from her kwami's mouth, until she suddenly tripped on something invisible on the ground. Tikki, having heard her yelp, thought it was just Marinette's clumsiness, she continued munching on the leftover cookies on the platter.

Marinette's eyes shot wide open, something scaly wrapping around her legs, something small was flickering by her feet but she couldn't see what it was and then, an akuma stood before her.

It was Kaleido.

"Ti-!" Marinette's cry was abruptly cut off as the girl vanished in a flash of light and a small hand mirror dropped into Kaleido's hand.

She giggled, opening the small hand mirror and spotting the girl's panicked face, fists hitting invisible walls within the mirror, "You naïve little girl, this is what you get for involving yourself with a superhero." She frowned at Marinette's angered expression and closed the mirror shut, "So unsightly, not pretty at all." With that, she pocketed the item, grabbing her chameleon and jumping off the balcony.

"Marinette?" Tikki dropped the half-eaten cookie back on the platter, no longer seeing Marinette's form from her viewpoint in the window, "Marinette, are you alright?" Tikki worriedly flew back up the stairs and out into the balcony, her eyes flying wide open, " _Marinette!_ "

She looked left and right and flew quickly to the edge of the balcony, spotting the familiar mirror akuma they'd battled just today wandering off behind an alley, "Oh no! Marinette!" Tikki just caught herself in time, shaking her head vehemently before flying in the other direction.

Towards Master Fu.

She zipped this way and that, phasing through buildings as shortcuts to the guardian, who, upon entering his home, was playing a game of shogi with Wayyz.

"Master!" the old man's wise gaze met Tikki's with an arched brow.

"Tikki, can this wait a moment? I'm certain I'll win this time." Wayyz just smiled and took a sip of his green tea, shaking his head.

Tikki immediately flew in front of Master Fu's face, "Marinette's been kidnapped by an akuma!"

Master Fu's eyes widened in surprise, "What? Why didn't you tell me this before? We have to contact Chat Noir." Master Fu quickly reached for his phone, not noticing the exasperated look Tikki was giving him while Wayyz was shaking his head and patting her shoulder in understanding.

Master Fu waited a few beats, the caller finally picking up, "Adrien! You have to get here as soon as possible! It's an emergency!"

Adrien's surprised voice entered the old man's ears, " _Huh? Master Fu!? What emergency? Wait, where did you get my phone number-"_

"That is of no importance! Marinette has been kidnapped by an akuma!" he shot the two kwami's worried looks, who could only return them.

Surprise turned to worry and seriousness, " _I'll be there as soon as I can!"_

Master Fu hung up, rubbing his chin worriedly, "Tikki, have you seen what akuma it was?" he already had a hunch, but he had to ask nonetheless.

Tikki was flying around in circles, her big blue eyes shining with concern, "It was the same mirror akuma we fought today! But there was also a chameleon with her, Hawkmoth must be using Mayura's help again!"

Wayyz flew up to hover beside Tikki, "Master, if this is true, we will need to use the help of the other Miraculous to help save Marinette!" master and kwami's gaze met, one imploring, the other thoughtful, until Master Fu made his decision with his hands clasped behind his back.

"You're right, Wayyz. It would be wise to call upon Rena Rouge and Carapace." He moved to the Miraculous box, punching in the code as the slots started to open, just in time rushed footsteps thundered towards the closed door to the room.

Tikki quickly flew behind the gramophone to hide, none other than Chat Noir slamming the door open, eyes wild and searching, "Master Fu!"

The guardian turned around to address the young hero, "Calm down, Chat Noir. You'll need to deliver the Miraculous to people you trust, Mayura is aiding Hawkmoth this time as well."

Chat Noir's eyes narrowed, "Where is Ladybug? She should be here by now! Who knows what the akuma may have done to Marinette." His fists clenched, his baton shaking slightly within his enclosed hand.

Master Fu and Wayyz shared a look, "Ladybug is unavailable as of this moment, which is why you'll need the help of other heroes to deal with the akuma if you want to save your friend."

Something changed in Chat Noir, perhaps it was the straightening of his shoulders, or the sharpened look in his eyes, but he resolutely headed for the door, "No. I'll deal with this akuma _myself_."

Alarm bells already rang within the old guardian's head, "Chat Noir, wait! Hawkmoth is not alone, you cannot possibly defeat the akuma on your own with Mayura's powers making him stronger!"

The blond turned his head, fingers gripping the doorknob tightly, "I'm sorry Master Fu, but this is my fight. Akumatizing a person is one thing, but kidnapping Marinette is personal." His gaze darkened, "I'll bring her back safe and sound." With that, his form disappeared behind the door, a bell chime the only indicator of how fast he rushed out the front door.

Master Fu gripped his forehead, sitting down on the small cushion on the floor, "What shall we do Master? He can't possibly defeat the akuma without help!" Wayyz's gaze shifted worriedly to the door where Chat Noir ran out of.

Tikki flew away from her hiding spot, an angry look about her, "That stupid cat, Plagg! His charges have always been reckless, but this one is young _and_ reckless!"

Master Fu sighed heavily, looking at the fox and bee Miraculous, "Protective, I would say."

Wayyz watched the way his own charge's gaze wandered to the old photo of him and Marianne, the black and white photo looked well worn, but it was as precious to his master as the day it was taken.

* * *

Chat Noir leapt from roof to roof, running along the sides of the buildings, scaling up lamp posts to look out for a rampaging akuma.

Where were the panicked shouts of the citizens? Why weren't there no akuma alarms?

Chat Noir was heading toward the park near Dupont before a small swarm of butterflies suddenly flew up in front of him, morphing into the shape of Hawkmoth's mask, " _Hello Chat Noir._ "

Chat Noir's staff was pointed threateningly at the butterflies, ears drawn back in anger, "Hawkmoth! Tell me where Marinette is!"

A dark chuckle rang out from the mask, " _Ah, yes the girl. Let's make a deal Chat Noir, in exchange for getting the girl safe and sound returned to you, you'll give me your Miraculous and Ladybug's!"_

Chat Noir growled, "Let's make another deal, _Hawkmoth_ , let Marinette go and I won't beat up your akuma _too_ much!"

Another dark chuckle, " _How amusing, it seems a mere girl is more important to Paris' superhero than fulfilling his duty as protector of this city!_ "

Chat Noir jumped, his staff cleanly hitting the center of the butterflies and Hawkmoth's mask disappeared, the dark butterflies flying around haphazardly, "I haven't noticed your akuma attacking anybody right now, so saving Marinette is my duty to fulfill! Now tell me where she is!"

Hawkmoth made a disgruntled noise from the swarming butterflies, " _I see, I'll need to take your Miraculous first before I can get Ladybug's! If you want to try and save your precious Marinette, return to the place you've met your match in the past and give up your Miraculous!"_

The swarm of butterflies flew away, Chat Noir glaring after them with Hawkmoth's laughter still echoing annoyingly in his head.

 _"_ _Met my match? What did he mean?"_ Chat Noir paced the pavement until he stopped short in realization, _"Copycat!"_

He knew where he had to go.

* * *

Marinette hit the invisible wall as hard as she could, her fists throbbing in pain from trying to escape her glass prison.

Kaleido's obnoxious voice was all around her, "It's useless, you foolish girl! Nobody can escape from my mirror prison unless I let them out!" she laughed and Marinette cringed at the loudness of the voice in the vacant space she was trapped in.

She didn't have anything here, just mirrors, all reflecting her own reflection back at herself from all angles, nothing she could use to get out of her situation, " _If only I had brought Tikki with me!"_ she cursed her luck, walking toward a standing mirror and sliding down to sit on the floor, trying to think of ways how to escape, " _I don't know why I got kidnapped, but no doubt Chat Noir is waiting for Ladybug to show up and deal with the akuma. He can't possibly find us here, why didn't Hawkmoth let her be out in the open? Why in this place again?"_ she remembered this place vaguely, it was the same warehouse where Chat Noir had been kidnapped by Copycat.

Marinette sighed, " _How ironic. We both got kidnapped in the same place."_ She glanced at the mirrors, mildly unsettled by her own gaze staring back at her, " _…Does Hawkmoth intend to lure Chat Noir here? But how? He has no way of knowing where the akuma is or that I even got kidnapped! Wait…could he…? Did Hawkmoth possibly figure out that…that I'm Ladybug? But he didn't ask me for my Miraculous yet and Kaleido doesn't seem to know anything either….so why was I kidnapped?"_ Marinette frowned, despair and helplessness finally getting the better of her.

She held her face in her hands, catching sight of her anguished face staring back at her from the mirror beneath her.

A memory flashed before her mind's eye, the time she wanted to quit using the Miraculous, quit being Ladybug. The time where Alya nearly got hurt because of an akuma attack. She frowned and clenched her hands, a burst of white-hot rage and determination filling her chest as she jumped to her feet and walked over to the small window-like shape she could look out of, "Hey! Hey, you!" she shouted at Kaleido, who finally turned around, "Why are you listening to Hawkmoth? I'm sure your problem can be solved without kidnapping innocent people!"

Kaleido blinked questioningly, her eyes, one which itself seemed like a small mirror, "You don't understand, you're just a little girl."

Marinette's fists were shaking beside her hips but she willed her voice to remain calm, "Try me."

The akumatized woman scoffed, crossing her arms, "As if someone like you could understand the pain of losing something precious. The mirror that was shattered before my eyes had been in my family for generations, it represented my family's gift of overcoming any obstacle, just like the mirror survived all sorts of things while it had been in our possession and now it's _broken_." Marinette could hear the pain in the older woman's voice, until the butterfly mask appeared over her face again.

" _Kaleido! Prepare yourself! Chat Noir should be coming any moment now!"_ Hawkmoth's irritated voice echoed in her head again and Kaleido groaned in frustration.

* * *

Chat Noir carefully crawled behind stacked-up boxes, peering over the rim of one at Kaleido and the hand mirror on the table by her side, seeing Marinette's tiny form trapped within.

His eyes narrowed and he clenched his fist in anger, " _How dare they kidnap Marinette!"_ Chat Noir reached for his baton until his ears picked up a noise behind him.

Immediately, he fell into a crouch, rolling over the floor but spotting nothing.

Then, a long tongue shot out from seemingly nowhere, nearly striking him if it weren't for his good reflexes, " _What in the-! There's nothing there! What was that!"_

He felt something wet and warm wrap around his ankle, hauling him into the air and throwing him into the open center where he remembered getting chained to the ground with his confrontation with Copycat.

Thinking on his feet, Chat Noir quickly moved out of reach of Kaleido, stepping on the same warm and wet thing that had throwing him into the air.

He looked behind him, spotting flickering shapes and colors, "No! My pet!" Kaleido adjusted the large mirror and reflected the slivers of light peering into the warehouse back at Chat's face, nearly blinding him.

He stumbled, crouching low to regain his footing and sight, spotting just what had been harassing him this whole time.

It was walking toward Kaleido, the large chameleon's colors were changing, switching between the lighter shades of the mirrors and the darker background of the boxes behind it.

"It's you again!" Chat Noir glared at the akuma, eyes zeroing in on Marinette, "Marinette!"

Marinette's head shot up at the sound of her name, at the sound of Chat Noir's voice, "Kitty! In here!" she waved, waves of relief washing over her at spotting him.

He was here. He was here to save her.

Chat Noir broke his baton in half, elongating it and spinning the two halves in both his hands, "Just stay put princess! You have a _look_ around while I'll _see_ to it that I defeat your captor!"

Marinette rolled her eyes at his dramatics but frowned in worry as Kaleido herself advanced upon him, with Chat Noir already charging.

His baton bounced off of her mirror dress, the light impairing his vision as her chameleon kept trying to trip and distract Chat Noir while Kaleido tried grabbing him and take away his Miraculous.

This wasn't good, Chat Noir couldn't handle two akuma alone, he needed help. Why didn't Master Fu send for the other heroes?

Marinette looked around again, surrounded by her mirrors as she was, growing frustrated at her sheer helplessness while her partner was in a tight spot.

In a fit of rage, Marinette beat her fist upon one of the standing mirror, causing a miniature crack on it's otherwise pristine surface.

 _"_ _Ah!"_ her eyes widened at the yelp of pain and she whirled around, spotting Kaleido clutching at her chest.

Did she just-?

Marinette looked back at the mirrors, "Is this…her heart? The mirrors that reflected her?" Marinette remembered the one eye the woman had made of glass, "The eyes…the eyes are the window to one's soul…" she looked back at the mirror before her and shouted out as loud as she could, "Chat Noir!"

Her kitty was flipping over the chameleon while deflecting shards of glass thrown at him at the same time, "I'm…" he kicked away another shard aimed at his face,"-kinda…" Chat Noir sidestepped chameleon's tongue again, "-busy, princess!"

"Chat Noir! You have to break the hand mirror!" Marinette could see the panic and disapproval instantly on his face.

"Not before I get you out of it princess!"

Marinette shook her head, "Break it now Chat Noir, trust me!"

Kaleido immediately moved in front of the hand mirror protectively, "No! I won't allow you to break another one of my family heirlooms!"

Chat Noir frowned, watching chameleon warily circling him, "If I break the mirror while you're in it, who knows what will happen! I'll get you out of there first!" Chat Noir charged again, jumping on the wall to gain momentum and slammed his staff onto Kaleido's mirror, the staff bouncing off it's steel-like surface.

Marinette stomped her foot, "We don't have time Chat Noir! You have to break it now! Use Cataclysm! _Trust me kitty!_ "

Despite the distance, their gazes met once Kaleido moved, an unspoken agreement passing between them.

Chat Noir steeled himself, _"Cataclysm!"_ calling upon his power, Chat Noir threw his baton at the chameleon's head, striking the lizard directly on his head, dazing him momentarily. It allowed him room to finally move freely, running on all fours straight towards an angry Kaleido.

"How dare you, you mangy cat!" she moved her hands over her mirrors, trying to hit Chat Noir's eyes with the reflected light, but he cleverly used his messy hair to block out most of the sun, pupils dilating and zeroing in on the handmirror and Marinette's reassuring smile.

 _Trust me, kitty._

Chat Noir jumped, right over Kaleido's head, landing on top of the table, "Hey!" Kaleido turned, agitated, "Mirror, mirror on the wall-" Chat Noir lifted his hand with Cataclysm active, "Who's the prettiest of them all?" his gaze caught Marinette's and he destroyed the mirror into millions of pieces on the ground.

Almost immediately, Kaleido fell to the ground in pain, clutching at her chest, " _NO!"_

The dark butterfly flew out of the broken mirror and Chat Noir quickly captured it in his hands, wondering where on earth Ladybug was to purify it.

Just then, a green blur flew past straight towards him, "Chat Noir!"

"Wha- Wayyz? What are you doing here?" Chat Noir looked down at the mirror, worrying where Marinette was. Shouldn't she have come out of the mirror? Did she trap her in it forever now that it was broken?

The wise kwami smiled, indicating at Chat Noir's clasped hands, "I believe you have something for me."

The cat blinked at him, dumbstruck, "…Huh?"

Wayyz shook his head, "The akuma! Release it!" why were people giving him such weird orders lately?

"But-"

"Trust me!"

Chat Noir frowned, hesitantly opening his hands, watching the dark insect flying out of it, heading for the crack in the ceiling. His panic grew the closer it got, but Wayyz suddenly sailed in the air and swallowed it whole in his mouth, holding it in his mouse before releasing a pure white butterfly with a wave of light, similar to Lucky Charm, washing over the warehouse.

The small hand mirror was repaired, the woman freed from Hawkmoth's control, kneeling on the ground, gingerly holding the object in her hands.

"Wait, where is Mari- _woah!_ " a sudden weight crashed on his back, knocking the air clean out of him.

"Ouch!" a yelp on top of him made his entire body freeze.

" _Marinette!_ " the poor girl was knocked over from her secret partner excitedly righting himself, pulling her along straight into his arms in a tight hug.

"C-Chat Noir?" she blinked, clutching at his back. What happened? One minute she was in the mirror, surrounded in darkness when Chat Noir destroyed it, then a white light flashed and she was being hugged by Chat Noir?

Marinette sighed, letting some of her weight fall against Chat Noir, who easily supported her, "Thank you for saving me kitty." She patted his back appreciatively, hearing and feeling the distinctive purring sound.

She giggled.

Chat Noir nuzzled against the side of her head, "I couldn't have done it without your quick thinking princess." His grip around her tightened, "Just please don't get captured by akumas again." Marinette smiled, hearing the worry seeping in his tone.

They broke apart, smiling at each-other, before Marinette moved toward the silent woman still kneeling on the ground, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder, "I'm sorry for kidnapping you, I swear I didn't mean to."

Marinette shook her head, "Don't worry, I believe you. Hawkmoth was controlling you, it wasn't your fault." Her gaze moved towards the mirror the woman held in her hands, "Is… this also a family heirloom?" she remembered how protective the woman had been of it.

The older female nodded, stroking the glassy surface of the mirror with a finger, "Yes, it's from my father, he used to craft mirrors before he died. This was a gift from him."

Marinette nodded, giving the woman a tender smile, "I'm sorry for your loss about the bigger mirror, but at least you have this one whole. I think it's an opportunity to start over while keeping the things you cherish still close to your heart. I understand that the mirror was important, but just because it shattered doesn't mean you yourself have to. Jut like the mirror, you may have a few cracks, but they can be mended." Marinette gestured toward the small mirror, "Despite everything, you still have this, see it as something hopeful. Something where you can start over."

The woman smiled, giving Marinette's hand a brief squeeze in thanks, "Thank you young lady, you made me remember something important about myself today. I'm glad you have such a dedicated boyfriend who saved you." Her gaze wandered over to Chat Noir, "Thank you too for saving me Chat Noir."

Chat Noir nodded, grinning, "Don't mention it!"

Meanwhile, Marinette was frozen, "…. _Boyfriend? Chat Noir? Was she talking about Chat Noir?"_ before Marinette could respond, Chat Noir's hand was on her shoulder pulling her up.

"Let's get you back home princess." Chat Noir wrapped an arm around Marinette's back and under her legs, gripping onto his staff while holding her legs up, "Will you be alright miss?"

The woman smiled and nodded, "Yes, thank you."

Chat Noir nodded, eyes searching in the room for Wayyz, "Wa-" wait…where did he go?! Did he already return to Master Fu?

"Something wrong, kitty?" Marinette rose an eyebrow, keeping a firm grip on Chat Noir's neck.

"Not at all princess!" Chat grinned, relief washing over him again as they finally walked out of the stuffy warehouse, "I'm…just glad you're safe, Marinette." He shot her a genuine smile and Marinette had to think back on the woman's words.

 _Boyfriend._

Marinette shook her head stubbornly, trying to think of Adrien and not how warm Chat Noir felt as he carried her over the rooftops of Paris back towards her home.

* * *

"No! Not again!" Hawkmoth paced his lair, Mayura sighing behind him, "Why?! How did Chat Noir defeat both my akuma and your guardian?!"

Mayura coughed into her hand, trying to still the coughs wrecking her body, "It is peculiar, especially without Ladybug's help. However, perhaps it was the fact we kidnapped his… associate that his determination to save her grew?"

Hawkmoth stopped his pacing, meeting Mayura's gaze, "…His determination…" he clenched his fist, eyes alight with dark intent, " _My_ determination is greater! I shall get my hands on Chat Noir's and Ladybug's Miraculous sooner than they think! Then, we will s _ee_ who is victorious in the end." Hawkmoth chuckled while Mayura felt sadness swell within her chest.

 **Thank you very much for reading! :) Hope you enjoyed!**


	56. Sweet

**A/N: Hi everyone!** I'm so sorry for my really long absence, I'm in the middle of final exams and am really busy studying and preparing for them. I'll try to update at least a few times this week though! Thanks for all your patience!

 **Prompt: Married!Marichat/Fluff Prompt! Adrienette too!**

 **Rated: K+**

* * *

 **Sweet**

A pair of forest green eyes followed the woman's movements like a hawk, watching the way she perfectly flipped a pancake onto it's back, before transferring it smoothly over to the growing pile on his plate, the fifth pancake on his stack, "I have enough mommy."

The dark-haired woman smiled, "Oh really? And here I was thinking you wanted to have all to yourself." She giggled at the flustered blush on her son's cheeks, sweetly pecking them before she set herself a plate and began eating with him.

The comfortable silence was broken by his worried question, "Where did papa go?" a soft but equally worried look crossed his mother's face.

She smiled as she wiped her mouth clean, "Papa is busy but he should come home soon." Just as she said this, the news flashed like lightning on the TV.

" _Citizens of Paris, there's another akuma alert! You're advised to stay in your homes or in safe locations until Ladybug and Chat Noir show up! I'm Nadja Cham-"_ Nadja shouted in fright, a big pink blob of some gooey substance nearly hitting her before she was swept off screen in a flash.

By a black blur.

The camera panned wildly for a few seconds, until it focused back on a tall figure in black, who landed just a few feet away, safely behind the coverage of a building, setting down a startled but otherwise unharmed news reporter.

He could see how his mother's eyes softened and how her body moved towards the TV, it reminded him of times when his papa would come home from work late and mommy and him were waiting.

Nadja ran back towards the cameraman after a brief verbal exchange with the man, " _Citizens of Paris! Chat Noir finally arrived to the scene, there is still no sign of Ladybug however!"_ he could see how his mother's forehead wrinkled oddly in worry.

Why was mommy worried? Chat Noir would save the day!

His eyes were glued to the screen, watching how the man dressed in black jumped this way and that, sometimes running on all fours to get away from the big pink akuma's attack.

Was it gum or cotton candy that the akuma was shooting out of its hands?

Hugo grinned when Chat Noir managed to swing at the akuma with his baton successfully, "Yay! Go Chat Noir!" he pumped his fists in the air, cheering for the superhero he'd looked up to since the first time he saw him on TV.

He even met him out on the street once, when mommy, Emma and him were going home from the park.

Some strange people had been following them and he remembered how worried mommy was, but Chat Noir had shown up and scared the bad guys away.

He remembered how worried Chat Noir had looked at them, it'd reminded Hugo of the times papa would be worried about them too.

Mommy was friendly with Chat Noir, he had no idea she knew a superhero! His mommy was the coolest! She knew different languages, she could sing really good and she even sewed him clothes before! He was scared of the machine with the needle, but he was never afraid of it when mommy sat in front of it, because he knew nothing would happen with her around.

Chat Noir had won the fight.

" _Paris is saved! The akuma has been captured by Chat Noir! Now all that's left is for Ladybug to show up and purify it! Oh, Ladybug, where are you?"_ Nadja Chamack's voice drifted into their living room and Marinette subconsciously clutched at the tablecloth.

"Mommy?" her grip immediately slackened and her bright expression met her son's concerned one.

"Yes, Hugo?"

"You look really worried." Chat Noir saved the day, so why was mommy still worried?

She shook her head, "Don't you worry about it." She reached over the table and affectionately patted her son's messy blonde hair, a trait he inherited from his father.

That's right! Chat Noir was mommy's friend, that's why she must be so worried!

Before Hugo could voice his concerns, the front door opened, "Papa!"

Messy blond hair and sharp green eyes immediately spotted his wife and child sitting at the table, his suitcase dropping to the floor beside the door, "Hello little guy." Adrien kneeled on the floor and swooped in to hug his excited son, who rushed eagerly into his arms, "What did you do today? Did you have fun?" Adrien smiled brightly, gently pinching his son's chubby cheeks.

Hugo giggled excitedly, "Yeah we did! Mommy made pancakes and-and I drew something again too! It's not as pretty as mommy's, but I drew many other things so it's okay! And Chat Noir was fighting the bad guys again on TV! You missed him papa!"

Adrien chuckled, gently ruffling his son's hair as he walked over to his wife, "Really? You have to show me those drawings, Hugo, I have to see them for myself." He shared a knowing look with the dark haired woman at the table, now relief shining in her eyes, "Why don't you go and get them for me?"

Hugo was out of the living room in an instant, tiny footsteps thundering through the house.

Marinette stood, eyes worriedly scanning her husband's features for any injuries, "Are you alright?" she placed a comforting hand on his cheek and he leaned into it, nuzzling her palm like a cat.

Adrien moved close and leaned his forehead on Marinette's shoulder, sighing heavily, "Yeah, just a bit tired. The meeting was boring but at least I got some exercise today." A small grin curled his lips, "There are worse ways to end the day than being attacked by gum."

Marinette sighed, shaking her head, spotting the small jar stealthily hidden in her husband's jacket pocket, "Get the cheese out of the fridge, Plagg must be hungry by now." She smiled and leaned on her tiptoes, kissing her husband's cheek sweetly, "I'll take care of the rest." A red blur quickly followed her path and Adrien sighed, smiling dreamily.

"Blergh, at least wait until I'm out of sight for you to get all cheesy." Adrien leveled a deadpan look at his kwami, who was already raiding the fridge in search of the stinky delicacy Marinette promised.

"Plagg."

"What? I'm hungry, not love starved."

Adrien smirked, "I know, I'm sure Tikki gives you a healthy dose of positivity on a daily basis. You're less grumpy than you used to be." The cat god of destruction huffed.

"And you're even cheesier than you used to be, if that's even possible." Adrien playfully rolled his eyes, shaking his head when his kwami swallowed a whole cube of cheese in one go.

Adrien's attention shifted when his son came rushing down the stairs, "Careful Hugo," he warned, smiling when the small bundle of energy proudly showed him his messy but creative drawings.

Adrien inspected each one with pride and joy, grinning when one of the drawings was what looked like Chat Noir, standing next to Marinette and Hugo, with the smaller stick figure hiding behind Hugo, with a black blob on her head was most likely Emma.

"Oh, what's this?" Adrien curiously asked, Hugo's eyes lighting up in excitement.

"Chat Noir saved me, Emma and mommy once!" Hugo grinned brightly, "Chat Noir is mommy's friend!"

* * *

Adrien couldn't stifle his quiet laughter, "Chat Noir is mommy's friend?" Adrien quirked an amused eyebrow at his wife, who shot him a look as they laid in bed side by side, the children sleeping peacefully in the other room.

"Did you want me to say Chat Noir is mommy's husband?" she stuck her tongue out at him and Adrien smiled.

"…"

"Adrien."

" _Purrhaps._ "

"You're impossible."

Adrien grinned like the cat that got the canary, "Don't you mean _impawssible?"_

Marinette sighed in mock annoyance as Adrien chuckled, all the while Plagg turned onto his ide and tried to sleep.

"Ugh, his puns are getting worse."

Tikki rolled her eyes, "Not any worse than yours."

"Oh come on sugarcube! You don't _meown_ that, do you?"

"Good night, Plagg."

" _Tikki!_ "

 **Thanks for reading!**


	57. Another Cat

**Prompt: Chat Noir faces some competition. Canonish/Fluff Marichat Wish!**

 **Rated: K+**

 **Also posted on my tumblr acc: lady-charinette**

 **ANSWERS TO REVIEWS:**

 **AimeeGamingUnicorn:** Oh! That's a nice suggestion! Thanks for the tip, I'll definitely write it! :3

* * *

 **Another Cat**

Marinette sighed gently, scratching Chaton behind his ears and under his chin as the black cat purred.

The cat had grown larger and heavier during the months she had taken it in.

She had managed to hide him up until two months ago, then her parents had heard the meows coming from her room one day while she had been in school.

Needless to say her parents had been the perfect picture of intimidation when her mother held a bowl of milk toward the purring kitten sitting on her father's lap, who tried desperately to look serious with a small, adorable, purring kitten on his lap.

To her surprise they had allowed the cat to stay, but under the condition he was potty trained and not to enter the kitchen under any circumstances. He would need to primarily stay in Marinette's room and enter the living room on days off where none of them had to bake.

It was a neat deal. Now she had someone to cuddle with on rainy days.

She thought Chat Noir had been joking when he said purrs were medicine for the soul. But the longer she spent time with Chaton, the more she realized he had in fact been right.

The soft purring of her cat snuggled up against her whenever she got frustrated and the gentle vibrations and occasional pats of his paw on her leg did wonders to improve her mood.

She had nearly fallen asleep with Chaton in her arms when she heard the soft knock coming from her hatch outside.

* * *

Carefully setting Chaton on her bed, she opened the hatch and watched as Chat Noir jumped in gracefully with a grin and a bow, "Good evening princess, I do hope I'm not disturbing."

His gaze caught sight of the familiar cat on the bed and he smirked, "Oh? Looks like you're already busy with another tomcat, should I leave you alone?" Chat Noir waggled his eyebrows playfully.

Marinette rolled her eyes, "Very funny, kitty. I wasn't feeling so well so Cha-ah, my cat helped me feel better."

 _Crap_

She couldn't tell him she named her cat _Chaton_. Despite already seeing him a few times, Marinette refused to tell Chat Noir what she named him, she would rather the ground swallow her up before that happened. He was bad enough as it was, he didn't need anymore ego strokes.

Chat frowned, eyes softening with worry, "What happened?" they suddenly hardened as did the tone of his voice, "Did someone upset you? Hurt you? What's his name I'll-" his hand moved behind his back, ready to grab his baton but Marinette laughed and shook her head, quick to soothe his nerves.

"Easy tiger. I'm fine, you don't have to protect me. Its just...it had been a hard week." she confessed with a soft sigh, allowing her tense shoulders to relax and craning her neck, stiff from doing all-nighters.

And it had been a rough week.

With the ever increasing workload for school and her designs as well as akuma attacks, she had barely caught a break.

Chat Noir's posture relaxed, "Oh..." his ears dropped, "Anything I can do to help?" He looked hopeful, genuinely curious and ready to help her.

Marinette smiled, remembering how, despite his silly antics, Chat Noir could be really sweet, "How about you tell me about your day?" She patted the free spot on her bed and Marinette settled on her pillows again, Chaton on her lap when the cat suddenly hissed when Chat moved close to Marinette.

He blinked, shuffling to the farther end of the bed, eyeing the feline warily. "No need upsetting my fellow people without good reasons. Cats can be nasty when purrvoked." despite the cat's reaction, Chat chuckled.

Marinette giggled, petting Chaton to calm him down, feeling the fur raise on his back threateningly in warning, "Dont worry, he likes you, he's just-"

A knowing look crossed the superhero's face, "Protective of you." she blinked at Chat Noir owishly, as if he'd grown a second head, "Yeah, I _know_." he offered a easy grin and Marinette giggled, shaking her head.

Chat watched fondly how she played and petted the cat and felt random but strong bursts of jealousy clawing at his chest.

Why couldn"t _he_ be pet like that?

Suddenly, an idea crossed his mind.

He just hoped it would work.

Being as none threatening as possible, lowering his ears and body to the bed to be at eye level with the watchful cat, Chat Noir slowly, inch by inch, shuffled along the soft, sweet smelling bedding until his head bumped against Marinette's leg, "Marinette..."

When he flipped over onto his back to look up at the girl, she had a disturbed expression on her face, "...Chat...what are you doing?" Chat Noir eyed the cat, then Marinette, gently pawing at her arm, mimicking the cat's earlier actions.

He did his best puppy look, pupils dilated and ears pressed flat against his messy hair, lips pouty, "Chat..."

 _Just a little more..._

 _Hiss_

Chat Noir's gaze flicked over to the cat, who pointedly sprawled itself across Marinette's entire thigh, looking smug. If a cat could look smug at all.

Chat Noir frowned. This was _war_.

Gently pawing at her thigh, Chat Noir hummed, "Marrinetteeee...pweasse. Purrty pwease, pet me too."

Marinette sighed, stifling a yawn.

 _A little while later..._

Marinette had no idea how she ended up in the position she was in, but she figured she couldn't really complain.

At first, Chaton had been curled up on her lap, while Chat Noir's head had been resting on her other leg before he had changed positions. She couldn't blame him really.

Purposefully or not, the cat had flicked his tail constantly to always land somewhere on Chat's eyes or mouth which offered many amusing sights of her partner's exasperated expressions.

She was thankful for the distractions, she felt oddly nervous when Chat Noir had looked at her with his smouldering glances. Like the room suddenly turned several degrees warmer and his messy hair looked strangely inviting to be pet. For scientific purposes of course...if his hair was naturally messy and soft or if he used some type of gel to make it that way. It _looked_ soft anyways.

Now she felt...warm, content...and blamed the redness in her cheeks on the heat in her room.

Chat Noir was now leaned back against her pillows, with Marinette resting against his side and Chaton, surprisingly, sleeping calmly on her lap.

She didn't even remember how she got into this position. She'd felt sleepy after petting Chat and Chaton, who both started purring to her petting and dozed off after some time. Did Chat move her? Did she crawl over to him herself? No, Chat Noir was too much of a gentleman, as flirty as he can be, to do anything of the sort. She also noticed she wasn't on her side of the bed anymore so it was most likely she moved herself.

She was too nervous to move a muscle, what if he woke up and think she was making moves on him? Would he be creeped out? Turn tail and run and never come back?

She was about to try and move from her positon but the slight prickle of claws against her side made her freeze.

Hesitantly she looked at Chat's face and saw him sound asleep. When she looked down at his hand, it was twitching slightly, sporadically in his sleep.

She sighed in relief and smiled but she didn't really want to go anymore. She felt too warm and cozy.

She snuggled up against her big kitty, smiling at how warm he was.

After a while, Chat Noir's eye moved open slightly and peeked down at the sleeping girl laying against his side. The cat was watching him but there was no hostility there this time and Chat rose an eyebrow in question before blinking slowly, signaling he meant no harm or challenge.

The kitty looked away before adjusting itself on Marinette's lap to face them, he looked once at Chat before falling asleep and it made the hero's heart warm.

He trusted him. He finally trusted him. Well, he did spend the better part of the year trying to make Chat Jr. trust him. Not that he would ever tell Marinette how he secretly named her cat. She would surely kill him.

Or ban him from visiting her but that was just as bad if not worse.

Instead he relaxed, body melting against Marinette's softer one and he laid a hand protectively around her waist, placing a gentle kiss on the top of her head.

"Sweet dreams, princess." he whispered into her hair before succumbing to sleep himself.

The cat stretched, regarding the sleeping humans curiously, before releasing a sigh and moving again, turning around so his butt faced the feline superhero while he affectionately rubbed Marinette's hand with his head.

 **Thanks for reading! :)**


	58. The Beast in her Home

**Prompt from apollosukulele on Tumblr: Forced Living Circumstances with Cop!Mari & Criminal!Chat **

**Rated: T**

 **NOTE:** I originally posted this on Tumblr, but some of my followers requested to post it here too (since they have a fanfic acc but not a Tumblr acc) so I did. I hope you all like it!

 **P.S. I still don't have a title for this (mini?)story so it'll be nameless until I can think of something** ( **Suggestions are very welcome of course! :3)**

* * *

"Marinette, will you be alright?" Alya adjusted the bag slung over her shoulder and the documents of the case she held in her hand, warily watching the handcuffed man behind her friend, "Why don't you just send him into one of the shared cells?" the news reporter glanced at the scowling but calm man, hands bound in cuffs, feet cuffed with a slightly longer chain to enable walking but not running. Even his neck was in a metallic collar, a restraining device.

She was surprised none of them were under electricity.

The dark-haired woman smiled, only visible to her best friend, "He may be a dangerous criminal Alya, but he's not an animal. Some of them already sleep on blankets on the floor, until we get more room it can't be changed." She paused, lastly packing the files of his case in her bag, "Besides, he's too dangerous to be in the same room as them."

"Oh, but not dangerous enough for _you_?" Alya stared her friend down but Marinette shook her head, squeezing her shoulder meaningfully, "I'll have you on speed dial, if you don't pick up by the third ring, I'm coming over with a SWAT team." The auburn haired woman fixed the criminal with a suspicious look, "And a shock stick."

The handcuffed man narrowed his eyes menacingly in return and Alya had to admit, with the black mask hiding his identity, the messy blond hair and the weirdly, sharp-looking teeth, he _did_ look as fearsome as the media portrayed him to be. She tried not to look as fearful as she felt from the intense look.

"Let's go." Marinette's voice when talking to the criminal turned from soft to cutting in an instant, commanding respect and authority, the badge strapped to her belt only seemed to accentuate that further. Sometimes, Alya was jealous of how quickly and effectively her smaller friend could command respect in a room full of people.

The reporter watched their backs as they exited, the chained man's taller, bigger body nearly hiding all of her friend's figure.

She clutched the files in her hands tightly, a copy of the ones in Marinette's bag.

The name on top of the papers was printed in big, bold letters.

 _Chat Noir_

* * *

The moment they neared the door he assumed was her private apartment, the woman quickened her pace slightly to reach it first and unlock it, punching in a code he couldn't see and he briefly thought of commenting how it was dangerous to turn her back to him, but he bit his tongue.

He had no say nor power in the position he was currently in, the fact that the cop before him was fully aware of it aggravated his nerves.

She opened the door and he hesitated, feet planted firmly on the small rug in front of the door, the words " _Welcome!"_ on it made him think this little arrangement would be anything _but_.

Her voice cut through his wandering mind like a blade, "If you prefer sleeping outside, that can be arranged." He fixed the stupid cop with a glare, before shuffling his way inside as best as he could with his feet chained, trying to retain as much dignity as possible in his sorry state.

He stood rigidly in the threshold of what appeared to be a living room she'd led him to, warily straining all his senses, listening to the woman drop her bag somewhere behind him before moving passed him towards the connected kitchen.

She must've felt eyes on her, but didn't react, producing something from her pocket before returning to his side.

He watched her warily, resisting the urge to try and headbut her and escape. What she did next caught him off guard.

She went on her knees.

His body tensed when he felt her hands on his feet, his teeth clenching in brief outrage until he noticed the pressure on his feet was gone.

He looked down.

She had the wretched cuffs in her hand, before moving up towards his face. He instinctively backed away, turning his head defiantly and she paused.

He resisted the urge to glance at her when she spoke, "You must be wondering why I'm taking away your chains. Well, that's only for your feet and neck, these stay on." She tapped the ones binding his hands and he'd figured they would, "You may be a criminal, but you're not an animal. No one will be treated as such in my house." Her hands carefully moved towards his neck, movements slow to not alarm him.

Her earlier words drifted back to him and he finally allowed himself to speak, "That wasn't your sole reason for keeping me here, was it?" green eyes stubbornly refused to meet her bluebell ones.

She snorted as she carefully undid the thick metal collar on his neck, soft fingers briefly brushing against his warm skin here and there, his body was as rigid as a wall, "That was the number one reason, I guess, but you're right, I had another one too." He waited patiently, feeling the pressure around his neck loosen finally, "You aren't an ordinary criminal, you would finish them in a matter of minutes and cause a scene in the department and try to escape. Putting you into the same cell as the rest of the criminals would be a rookie mistake."

"But you're no rookie." Finally, he looked at her, toxic green eyes staring her down menacingly.

Her soft bluebell ones rose to the challenge, "Neither are you."

They stayed like that in silence, gazes locked, a battle of wills silently communicated between them, neither of them willing to back down.

His gaze narrowed when she rose an eyebrow, "I do hope you enjoy Chinese cooking."

She made her way back to her kitchen and he stood for several more minutes in the doorway of the living room, until the scent of the food, admittedly delicious, wafted towards him, he reluctantly walked towards the table and sat down at one of the chairs.

It sickened him to be reduced to a captive, but he would bide his time and plan his escape as soon as she fell asleep.

His eyes were locked onto the twin guns holstered to her hips and she was well aware of that fact as she reheated their supper, glad to have made a larger portion.

* * *

After supper, he'd rooted himself to the couch, his temporary sleeping space for the supposed several weeks until his case was handled and done for, he didn't even dare think of if it extended to months. Even if it did, he would've figured out a escape route by then no doubt.

The woman was distracted now, she was typing something on her computer, information about him and his case scattered on the small chair next to her and the available space on her desk. His gaze flicked to the clock for what felt like the tenth time in the span of five minutes.

 _11:55pm_

Did this woman _sleep_? Didn't she have work tomorrow? Why was she still awake? He couldn't do anything with her still up and about.

"You must be pretty impatient looking at the clock all the time." He scoffed, flexing his hands, his claw-tipped gloves aching to sink themselves into her skin. At least she'd left his mask and everything on, despite her colleague's urgencies to remove them. Either way she'd figured his identity out, or respected his privacy, none of which he believed. Why she did what she did, he couldn't figure out. His identity was secondary in this case, or so they thought, his identity could remain secret a little longer, their priority was to locate all the links in his criminal organization, which was a difficult, time consuming feat of itself.

Having his identity wouldn't reveal anything and since the woman caught on how important it was for him, she chose not to rip the mask off his face, despite her ability to do so. He didn't want to admit it, but out of all the bluebottles in her department, he'd probably shoot her last.

"Does the cat need to use the litter box?" her snarky remark cut through the silence airily.

 _First._ He released a low growl, shifting in his seat in displeasure. He'd be _dead_ than admit the slight urge to use the bathroom. He could last all night without going, but she didn't have to know that.

The cop hummed slightly, "Sorry, that was disrespectful." She coughed into her hand, returning to her research and speedy typing on the computer.

He felt sparks of anger curling in his chest and he had an idea. It was quite risky, but with her attention to the screen and his agility, he could just pull it off. The short chain on his wrists was long enough to be able to strangle somebody, perhaps it would work.

With no sound, he rose from the couch, waiting several beats to see if she'd noticed from the corner of her eye. He blended into the shadows of the surrounding darkness, the only source of light from the screen aiding him in hiding.

He moved behind her, her fingers never once faltering on writing the report she had opened on her computer, despite his close presence he was sure she must've detected. He'd dropped the plan when he saw the dual guns still strapped on to her, he was sure she had more hidden weapons somewhere on her body. He wasn't a fool, but he would try to find an opening.

His gaze cut to the top of her head, he knew she was also aware of his hidden intent, "Hm…you didn't flinch." The chains rattled slightly when he grabbed onto her chair, he scented the air like a cat, "You have no fear either…"

Her voice was calm, even, "Is there a reason to?"

He chuckled darkly, eyes glowing, "I'm a suspect in multiple murders, leader of a lethal criminal organization." His knuckles were a hair's breath away from touching her back, "You know about my training and yet you dare to turn your back to me?" an amused grin curled his lips, feeling excited about a challenge.

She scoffed softly, "The same can be said about you. I assume, you're well aware of _my_ training and you suspect me of carrying multiple weapons on my body, which I won't correct you on." Her fingers typed with the same fluidity as before, "So tell me, _why_ should I not turn my back on the _innocent_ man in my own home?"

His grin left his lips, "Innocent man?" was she delusional? She herself called him a criminal!

This time, she turned her head slightly, just to see him from the corner of her eye, "Suspects are innocent until proven _guilty_." She stood now to her full height, a head shorter than him, the chair was the only thing between them now, "For as long as the investigation runs, you'll remain here where I can keep an eye on you." Her knowing, fierce expression melted away in a calm, _almost_ kind smile, "Isn't that right, Chat Noir?"

He bit back the scathing retort bubbling in the back of his throat, instead he fixed her with a look, the air between them thick, "If you say so, _lieutenant."_ Her title was dripping with venom and mockery, but she didn't let that deter her at all.

"I trust you can arrange your bed yourself." Her gaze briefly flicked down to his bound hands before gesturing towards the couch, turning around to shut down her computer and gather the paperwork.

He scoffed, silently planning her early demise in the morning.

 **Thank you for reading! Hope you enjoyed! Also should I write a Part 2?**


	59. Day 1 No Powers

**ANSWERS TO REVIEWS:**

 **UnicornAttack528:** Oh god, thank you so much! I really appreciate the sweet compliment, I don't really often get complimented so it's always really nice to hear! Thank you and I definitely will! :3

 **sabby. razza:** hehe Ma'am/Sir yes Ma'am/Sir! Already on it! :)

* * *

 **Marichat May Day 1: "No Powers"**

"Huh? Chat Noir?" the feline themed hero looked oddly sad today and Marinette clutched the cup of warm tea tighter in worry, "What are you doing here?"

His ears were drawn back, flat on his messy hair and his head was slightly bowed, "Can I…can I stay here with you? For a while?" he rubbed his arm, "I…don't want to be a superhero today… just for today."

He finally turned around, his eyes unbelievably sad, "If it's okay…I want to be here…with you, Marinette." She couldn't say no, she couldn't say no even if she wanted to.

Marinette set her tea cup down on the small table on her balcony and moved to hug him, clutching tightly to the back of his head and his midsection, nuzzling the side of his head in an attempt to calm and reassure him, "Of course kitty, you know you're always welcome here."

His transformation dropped and for a moment, Marinette feared he forgot himself, but she felt the substitute black mask, her own design which wasn't quite up to par with the original but close enough, sit on his cheek, protecting his identity but not the feelings that threatened to overwhelm him.

Chat Noir wrapped his own arms gently around her and they stayed like that for a while, Plagg laying down on the small cushion on the chair, curling into a ball and yawning, watching over his broken chosen and the girl that was slowly healing his heart.

Tikki couldn't have made a better decision.

Plagg watched as the two made their way inside, the girl's arm protectively curled around Adrien's waist and in that moment, Plagg was grateful they met Marinette, that Marinette had a fondness for cats, a love for helping people.

A fondness for _him_.

Tikki stealthily phased through the now closed window to his side, looking back to make sure Marinette didn't notice her sneaking out, before she settled down next to Plagg, "What's wrong?"

The cat god sighed.

* * *

Marinette and Chat Noir, now detransformed in a cat mask and a black hoodie with his symbol on it, sat next to each-other on her bed in silence, both munching on the pastries Marinette's mom made earlier.

Marinette badly wanted to ask what was wrong, what could've gotten Chat Noir in such a gloomy state, but she held her tongue, not daring to soil his mood any further.

Feeling movement and shuffling, Marinette found herself looking down on Chat Noir's messy blond hair in her lap, wetness accumulating on the material of her PJ's.

She bit her lip, her heart squeezing in pain at seeing one of the people she cared about most in such agony.

She leaned down, tenderly brushing his head, softly humming a tune.

They stayed like this for a while, until Chat Noir turned around and buried his face against her stomach, her face burning a cherry red that made Chat Noir quickly draw back, "I-I'm sorry I-"

Marinette shushed him, gently hugging his head to her, continuing to hum the melody to soothe him.

His rigid body relaxed again and Chat Noir sighed, a drawn out, heavy exhale that made his body heavier with the pent up feelings he carried.

His arms encircled her waist, hands now lacking familiar claws appreciatively squeezing her close to him, "Th…Thank you Marinette….thank you so _much_." He inhaled sharply against her soft tummy, body wracked with small tremors.

Marinette took one of his hands, squeezing the limb tightly, silently showing him her support, he was her partner, her friend, her-

She shook her head, affectionately rubbing his cheek, wiping away the wetness that slowly stopped trickling down on the smooth skin, "It's…her anniversary, right?"

It's been a few years since they were the heroes of Paris, they didn't know who the other was behind the mask, but they'd shared a few private things with each-other before, things that Marinette appreciated knowing more about her lovable partner.

It was the anniversary of his mother's disappearance. Whether or not she was dead, she wasn't sure Chat Noir himself knew.

His earlier words made Marinette feel even sadder, it reminded her how they both were just human, under their supersuits they were only _human_. She understood him not wanting to be a superhero for today, she didn't want to be one either sometimes, but she would always try to be his.

Wordlessly, the boy nodded, finally mustering the courage to lift himself from the safe cocoon of Marinette's arms.

He wiped at his eyes, smiling tiredly at the girl before hugging her again, now significantly calmer than before.

Marinette sighed, hugging him back, feeling him softly kiss her shoulder in silent thanks.

He was purring, a surprisingly realistic imitation of the purrs he did when transformed and Marinette giggled quietly, breaking the hug to playfully pinch his cheek.

"I'm sorry Marinette, for coming here…I must have spoiled your day." He smiled dryly, looking even more worn out than after an extensive akuma fight.

Marinette immediately shook her head, cupping his face in her hands, "You didn't spoil anything, kitty. You know you can come to me for anything, right? No matter if its during the day or in the middle of the night, I'm _here_ , for the hero _and_ the boy behind the mask."

Her words struck a chord within him, vaguely familiar words he himself had uttered years ago floating back to him, " _Whoever she is beneath that mask, I love that girl."_

"Chat Noir?" Marinette rose an eyebrow at the starstruck expression on his face before he shook his head, smiling down at her warmly and pulling her close, the embrace long not over.

"Thanks Marinette…for being my everyday Ladybug…in and out of the suit."

 **Thanks for reading!**


	60. Day 3 Kittens

A **/N:** Hi guys! Thank you all for always reading my updates, I'm really glad people still read this ^_^ I just wanted to say, **"The Beast in Her Home"** is still in the works, so it may take me a day or two longer to update. I'll post it here and separately as a new story. Also: I'll publish it on my **tumblr acc (under lady-charinette)** and on **AO3 under ScarletRedfox** just so you know! :3

 **Marichat May Day 3: Kittens**

Marinette watched her husband's form fondly, leaning her head against the side of the wall, "How long are you going to hold her like that? Plagg must be exhausted." Her voice was soft, afraid to disturb the sleeping occupant in the room.

A soft chuckle interrupted the silence, a leather tail flickering curiously, "He ate enough. Besides, Emma falls asleep faster like this." Marinette walked over to Adrien, transformed, placing a hand on his shoulder and staring down at the peacefully sleeping bundle in his arms, "She really loves the ears." He grinned fondly and Marinette felt warmth bloom in her chest at the action, sighing and leaning against her husband's back, enjoying the calm atmosphere.

The familiar, reassuring vibration she felt through her hand on Chat's chest lulled her into a sleepy state, the soft sounds of purring only aiding to make her sleepier and sleepier. No wonder Emma liked being tucked in by Chat Noir, the purring really did help fall asleep faster.

Marinette cuddled closer, fingers squeezing his bicep and smiling warmly at her infant daughter, "Mhmm…you should transform more often before we go to sleep, you really do fall asleep faster like this."

Adrien chuckled, kissing the top of his wife's head before slowly settling his daughter into the crib, both proud parents watching how she breathed evenly before tiptoeing their way out of her room, leaving the door open a notch.

They quietly checked in on Hugo, who was also peacefully asleep in his room, a Ladybug plushie protectively wrapped in his little arms. Both parents gave him a quick good night kiss to the forehead before leaving his room to let him sleep.

Adrien was about to detransform, but instead picked a startled Marinette up into his arms, carrying her towards their bedroom, "K-Kitty?"

Chat Noir grinned, all teeth, "You said you can fall asleep faster with Chat Noir, right?" he wiggled his eyebrows suggestively and Marinette giggled, playfully slapping his chest.

Suddenly, a blush creeped up Marinette's neck when her husband whispered into her ear lowly and she dissolved into giggles, "That's _not_ what I meant and you know it you sly cat! You're _impawssible_!"

Chat chuckled, "Hey, that's my line, princess."

Chat Noir smirked, gently shutting the door closed, "Well, it's never too late for kitten number three, right?"

Marinette tapped his nose and they both laughed behind the closed door of their bedroom, a small red kwami quietly slipping out unnoticed.

 **Thanks for reading!**


	61. The Cute Suspect

**Prompt: Originally a request from tumblr for the living together trope.**

 **The Cute Suspect Part 1**

Adrien Agreste ran a hand down his face, watching the woman thrash about wildly, knocking out the seventh police officer of the day since her capture, glaring threateningly at the three uniformed men circling her, trying to calm her down.

The blond rose calmly, motioning for his colleagues to stand down as he put his gun on his desk, "Hey," his tone was soft, gentle, "It's alright, nobody will hurt you. We just want to know who really tried to steal from that store." The woman focused her attention on him and if he hadn't dealt with hard criminals before, he would've been slightly intimidated by her bluebell glare.

"I told you it was me alone!" she cried out when an officer sneaked up behind her, harshly tugging against the chain to her handcuffs and pulling them up over her head.

" _Enough!_ " An authoritative voice boomed through the bustling office, stopping any and all activity in the area with it's cutting quality and volume alone, "Release her, _now_."

"B-but Mr. A-"

" _Now._ " The green in his eyes looked like poison to her, "Before I release you from your rank."

Without any hesitation, the man promptly released her chains, causing the woman to hiss in pain, craning her head to try and inspect the damage done to her stinging wrists.

Adrien moved forward, mentally cringing at how the criminal woman drew back, before taking off her handcuffs and bringing her hands to her front, rebinding her wrists, frowning at the reddened skin, "This is a police station, no matter on which side of justice the people that come here are, we don't treat them like animals." He could see how the woman stilled in surprise beside him, "Furthermore, I'll personally see to it that the woman temporarily resides in my residence while her case is being handled."

His fellow colleague, Luka Couffaine, a more calm, reasonable individual among the pack of the people in the office, placed a hand on his shoulder, "Are you sure? You know how this place is with rumours, besides, she's the main suspect in this theft." His light blue eyes met the woman's own blue ones curiously, not accusatory like the rest, but with genuine curiosity.

Adrien already suspected him of having the same suspicions as him, that she was covering for her friends who had managed to flee from the scene. Still, he shook his head, "The cells we have here are filled with male criminals, you know as well as I do what that means." While the criminals they held here weren't of the same calibre as some held in high security prisons, most of them w _ere_ rapists, burglars or the like and Adrien didn't even want to think what would happen putting a woman in there with them, one suspected to be coerced into a crime.

It seemed the woman shared his thoughts, if the tremor that washed over her was any indicator. The chains on her hands was also shaking slightly.

Luka, ever the observant one, noticed it too and shared a look with his friend before sighing, "Talk it out with the chief, but as far as I'm concerned, it's your case and you can do what you want." He glanced at the woman again, a calm, slight smile on his face, "You don't have to be scared, this guy is a diamond among the rough here." His gaze turned icy at the police officers behind the woman, "As for you, I assume you need a bit more training before you can handle criminals. Your skills are as polished as the grimy surface of my boat after a trip to the swamp, now return back to work."

The officers quickly spread, not daring to look back at their two formidable senior officers. Adrien shot a quick smile Luka's way, "You still have a sailor's mouth despite changing directions."

Luka smiled, "They're not such different occupations. There are idiots in both departments, the difference is you can throw them into the sea on a ship." Both men chuckled, even the woman seemed slightly more relaxed after the rest of the men moved away and at Luka's joke.

Adrien shook his head, "You can be really rude."

Luka shrugged, "I don't take it kindly when women are mistreated. If Kagami was here, she would've done far worse." The dark-haired man left, smiling reassuringly at the dark haired captive before entering his office.

Adrien took his duty gun and strapped it to his belt, taking his keys and bag, before grabbing the woman by the arm, far gentler than his colleagues had and leading her to the exit of the police station.

* * *

The ride to Adrien's home was quiet as the woman sitting at the back stared outside, refusing to look in his direction or engage in any type of conversation.

Adrien sighed softly, "Miss Dupain-Cheng," she didn't move, but he could see her eyes sliding in his direction, "I know you're not the one who stole the money or the equipment from that store, it's only a matter of time before we find the criminals that were with you." His hands on the steering wheel tightened, "There's also the fact that this was your first crime, you were never in our register before, not even for a speeding ticket… It'd be easier for you to confess before going to court."

Despite her earlier hostile demeanour, she didn't seem the type to commit any sort of crime, let alone theft. Adrien had worked this job well over seven years, he became good at looking for tell-tale signs when a suspect was lying or behaving suspiciously, and this woman only behaved defensively, especially when his colleagues became physical.

"Also, I apologize for my colleagues earlier, despite you being a suspect, you shouldn't have been treated like-"

"Why am I going to live with you, officer?" her tone wasn't angry, not even rude, just curious and a bit apprehensive. He could understand why, she would be living alone with a man who'd captured her.

Adrien rubbed the back of his neck, "I apologize, but this was the better alternative to you sharing the cell with the other male criminals." Silence settled over them, before Adrien spoke again calmly, "Also, the few female officers we do have are either still in training or currently on undercover missions and can't watch over you. You may not be a dangerous criminal, but you're still a suspect in need of supervision."

The woman scoffed softly, her earlier spitfire attitude coming back, "If you think I'll tell you anything about the theft, you're mistaken, _officer_."

Adrien grimaced, detecting the bitter tone in her voice.

He sighed.

* * *

"Plagg, I'm home." Adrien called out, guiding the woman through the threshold of his small apartment.

He was taking his jacket and shoes off when he felt small scratches on his leg, "Hungry, huh? Just a second." Adrien took his shoes off first before kneeling down to take off the woman's until she suddenly stepped back.

"W-what are you doing?" her face was flush with colour, eyes wide in surprise.

Adrien grinned reassuringly, trying to calm her nerves, "You're handcuffed, so I wanted to help you take off your shoes." He was kneeling on the carpet, patiently waiting for her to stretch her foot out, until he felt a furry warmth lean on his leg, "Plagg, not now."

The woman looked down at the pure black cat, who stared up at her curiously with its tail raised.

It raised its fur slightly, lips pulling back to bare fangs when the woman suddenly blinked, very slowly, a few times.

Plagg calmed down significantly, cautiously nearing the chained woman and sniffing her ankles, before rubbing his head against her legs, leaning his whole body against her now.

Adrien stifled a chuckle at the display, "You speak cat, I see."

The suspect meekly confessed, "I…love cats."

Adrien grinned, "Me too." She was slowly opening up to him it seemed, he had no idea it would be thanks to Plagg of all things that would make that happen.

The blond held his hand out, smiling up at the wary female, "May I?"

Hesitantly, she stretched her foot out towards him and Adrien hid a smile while Plagg purred loudly and rubbed his head against the woman's other standing leg. He helped take both her shoes off, before leading her towards his kitchen, "Are you hungry by chance? I can cook you something if you like."

"…You…know how to cook?" her cheeks were oddly pink and Adrien worried she might have a allergic reaction to Plagg.

"Well, I'm not the best, but I can brag about my omelettes and home-made croissants!" He felt mildly embarrassed, but the unexpected, soft giggle made him turn around in surprise.

The woman froze, closing her mouth shut, until Adrien laughed, "You're allowed to laugh. I know this isn't very comfortable, but I promise you to be the perfect gentleman. An officer will bring in your stuff later this afternoon and if you need anything else I'll buy it for you since you don't have any relatives." He waited a beat for her to process this, before continuing, "If-"

"You t-thank!" Adrien's eyes flew open at the exclamation and the woman raised her chained hands nervously flailing them around, "Ah-I-I meant thank you!" she bowed her head, cheeks a blazing red now, "T-thank you for…for taking me in despite…despite what I d-did."

Heavy silence settled over them after her outburst, only occasionally interrupted by Plagg's purring before Adrien slowly walked over to the woman and smiled down at her, "You're welcome." He knew he shouldn't do this, she was a suspect after all, but they lacked any evidence in her leading the theft, merely being used as a distraction while the real culprits escaped, "You can call me Adrien."

He could see the clear hesitation in her eyes, the way she bit her lip and looked to the side, "You don't have to-"

"M-Marinette…" she shyly met his gaze and he noticed what a lovely colour her eyes were. Not a dark blue, but not a light one like Luka's either.

"Well, Marinette, I hope your case gets finished quickly so you won't have to be forced living here for too long." He looked down at her meaningfully, "That is, if you're ready to-"

"I won't!" he was startled by the determination in her eyes, a blazing tornado of blue, "I won't sell out my friends! I-I don't care how s-sweet you are to me!"

Adrien's own cheeks suddenly heated. Sweet?

Marinette froze, covering her face, "Uhm, I-I-"

Adrien stifled his chuckles, "It's…alright. It's your choice, however, I can't take these off you until you're proven innocent." He motioned toward her handcuffs, "But if you need some ointment, I have medicine in my bathroom for the bruises on your wrists."

A small smile lit Marinette's soft features but she was looking away, "…Thank you…"

Adrien nodded, turning to grab the medicine from the cabinet and Marinette stared down at the black feline meowing up at her.

She glanced quickly towards the bathroom, before crouching down and petting the cat lovingly, "You're really cute Plagg, just like your human."

Adrien willed himself not to believe he would suffer a heart attack. His heartrate just sped up a bit. It was nothing.

Certainly not because of the cute woman – _suspect_ – in his living room calling him cute.

 **Thanks everyone for reading! Hope you enjoyed!**


	62. The Cute Suspect Part 2

**A/N: Had sudden inspiration to finish Part 2 for the Adrienette living together trope. Tomorrow "The Beast in her Home" will be updated though! :3**

 **The Cute Suspect Part 2**

Marinette sighed in relief when the watchful green eyes finally left her form to focus on heating up what appeared to be store bought dinner, something with rice and vegetables. She glanced down at her feet, where the warm, purring furball had situated itself permanently.

Hesitantly glancing towards the policeman's back, Marinette slowly wiggled her toes under Plagg's weight, the cat not reacting at first. Marinette stuck her tongue out in concentration, wiggling her toes a bit harder, Plagg shifting slightly before meowing in annoyance and climbing up her leg onto her lap, sniffing her cuffed hands and shooting her what she interpreted as an annoyed look.

She smiled brightly, her mood instantly improving when the cat started purring and rubbing it's head against her bound hands and wiggling fingers, rolling on top of her thighs and playfully swiping at her wiggling fingers with his paws, claws retracted.

Marinette finally couldn't stifle a giggle when Plagg made three fast paw swipes towards her finger and promptly fell from her lap onto the ground, twisting his lithe body to land on his paws quickly.

His ears were straight on their sides, Plagg's tail flicking in surprise at the unexpected fall, "I'm so sorry kitty!" Marinette soothingly petted the black cat's fur, gently scooping him back up into her lap again, where he immediately settled back down, licking the tips of her fingers.

"He's alright, that little furball is more durable than he looks. He even beat up a _cat_ burglar once." Adrien's amused voice called from the kitchen, slightly startling Marinette, "I think the thief was more scared of my cat than me." He laughed, an airy, nice sound that made Marinette's fingers twitch, causing Plagg to affectionately nibble her pointy finger for unintentionally flicking his ear.

"Really?" Marinette stared down at the playful ball of fur, Plagg's big green eyes staring back up at her, slowly blinking. She scratched his head softly and he leaned into her touch.

"Mhm, Plagg may be a cat, but sometimes I think he has some grumpy old human inside of him just waiting to get out." Adrien was just stirring the food in the pan when the feline released a loud, wailing meow, "See?" he snorted in suppressed laughter.

Marinette giggled, gently petting the annoyed cat.

Adrien glanced at the sitting woman from the corner of his eye, watching her carefully, "Did you used to have a cat? You know how to handle a handful like Plagg pretty well." Maybe he could get her to open up little by little like this.

Marinette smiled, distracted by the soft fur of the cat on her lap, "Mhmm, her name was Tikki. I…" she swallowed, a wave of sadness washing over her, "She ran outside one day and got hit by a car so…" she bit her lip, smile twitching when Plagg nuzzled her raised finger.

Adrien paused in his stirring, mentally shooting himself in the head, "I'm sorry, I didn't-"

"N-no, it's fine really!" Marinette stared at his back, smiling kindly, "You couldn't have known." She glanced back down at Plagg, "She was very sweet and gentle, I always thought she had the personality of a human inside her. She really loved sweet treats, so I treated her twice a month with cat treats and took her to trips to grassy planes so she could stretch her legs. Living in the city can become stifling."

Adrien tensed, mind torn away from the peaceful image he'd conjured up with Marinette with a cat on a grassy field to the task at hand, he chose his next words carefully, "So...you don't like the city life, huh?" Adrien took out two plates, watching Marinette from the reflection of the glass in front of him.

She thought for a moment, still softly stroking Plagg's back, "Not really, no." she lifted her head, glancing at his back, "Do you?"

Adrien thought of what to say, until he settled for the truth, "To be honest, sometimes I want to go away too. Away from the city and the responsibilities." He fixed the second plate, taking out an additional glass, "Guess we have something in common, hm?"

Finally he turned around, two steaming plates of mouth-watering food in his hands, white crisp shirt sleeves rolled up to his elbows, shirt unbuttoned to the first button, forbidden views of pronounced collarbones barely hidden by the collar of his dress shirt, hair slightly messy from the steam of cooking, smile friendly but slightly guarded.

Marinette's mouth was open.

 _Hot._

"Hot…"

Adrien's brows drew together in confusion, straining his ears, "Could you repeat that? I think I didn't catch it."

Marinette jumped from the realization of what she'd accidentally uttered out loud, Plagg bolting from her lap and hiding behind Adrien's feet, staring wide eyed at the nervous woman who was anxiously straightening the sleeves of her blazer, "T-those plates look hot!" she speedwalked to the man, forgetting her hands were cuffed and grabbed them in her practiced grip, stacking the two on one hand like a professional waiter.

Adrien blinked, momentarily stunned by the kneejerk reaction, "…That…that's cool." He gestured to the way she had the plates stacked on one hand, her first three fingers firmly holding onto the bottom plate, with the thumb on the outermost surface of the plate, as far away from the food as possible, with the last two fingers crooked upwards to support the upper plate balanced perfectly on her forearm, "Did you used to work in a restaurant?"

The handsome man's genuine question threw Marinette off guard and she nearly dropped the plates, quickly setting them down on the table before she made a mess and fool of herself, "U-uhm, I-uh I," she shook her head, "I-I mean my parents still run a bakery…and I used to help out often…" her heart squeezed at the thought of her parents and memories of working for them during her teenager years.

Adrien sensed the change in mood, mentally punching himself again for asking the wrong questions, before he pulled out the chair, "Shall we? Dinner is served." He made a grand gesture with his arm, motioning toward the food and Marinette smiled timidly, taking the offered seat, "Would you like me to remove them? To eat properly."

Marinette glanced down at the cuffs bounding her hands, grabbing the fork to test out how good her range was with the chain, "I don't think it's necessary, I'll be fine." It would've been more difficult had she had to cut something, using both hands, but she could comfortably eat with one hand.

Besides, she didn't want him thinking she was looking for an escape, the last thing she wanted was arouse suspicion and get sent to prison. She may be covering for those people, but she wouldn't go to prison for them and risk endangering herself more than she already was.

The blond craned his neck, mentally going through the questions he subtly had to ask before grabbing silverware and the glasses filled with water and taking his own seat across from her.

They ate in silence, occasionally broken by praises for the food's deliciousness.

Adrien glanced a few times at her facial expressions, trying to gauge the mood. His mouth opened to voice his question, but when he did, he felt something brush against his leg.

His face burned uncharacteristically.

 _Did she just-_

His leg violently slammed against the table, a hiss passing through the blond's teeth at the bolt of pain shooting down his leg. Marinette jumped from the force of the table shaking, eyes wide in surprise, "What happened?!"

Adrien grinned in embarrassment, subtly rubbing his knee, cheeks still aflame, "I uh, your-I mean, my uhm…" he coughed into his head, clearing his throat and tugging at the collar of his shirt, "My knee…caught onto something." He straightened his back like a bow, stiffly continuing to eat.

Maybe the veggies will throw his mind off things.

Would she react so calmly if she had done it? But then what did brush against his leg? Was it his imagination?

Shaking his head silently, Adrien continued to eat, trying to throw the suspicious thoughts of her trying to seduce him and then escape from his mind.

After calming down from the unexpected ordeal, Marinette exhaled softly and began eating again, until she felt something warm trace her leg.

Freezing in place, Marinette waited with baited breath, until another, firmer touch made contact with her leg.

Her whole face coloured stronger than the burgundy red of Adrien's slippers, mind racing a mile a minute on what on earth was happening underneath _that table._

 _Was he-?_

 _No!_

He was a policeman for goodness sake!

He also seemed far more decent than his brutish colleagues. She doubted he would do something like that. He was nothing but nice and polite to her so she should show the same courtesy, despite their circumstances.

 _Touch_

Marinette squeaked and her leg violently lashed out, slamming into Adrien's knee in a kneejerk reaction.

" _Ouch!_ " Adrien hissed, gripping the aching spot on his knee, eyes blown wide and the heat in his cheeks gone, "What the-!"

Marinette's entire body was still, face like a cherry, "W-why d-d-did-did y-y-you-!"

Adrien suddenly saw the tablecloth move suspiciously and he leaned down and lifted it.

What he saw made him want to sink into the ground.

Two big green eyes stared up at him innocently.

It was Plagg.

The thing that touched his leg had been his goddamn _cat_.

Which meant-

Adrien's face flushed for a completely different reason, hand covering his mouth in embarrassment, "I…I don't know what to say…"

Marinette's gaze was fixed on a spot on the tablecloth, cheeks looking worse than the red pepper in the vegetable dish, "I-I'm so-so sorry-"

Both raised their heads, immediately locking gazes before hastily turning their heads to look the other way.

Adrien suddenly felt far too hot, " _Just-just what was this?! Plagg, you stupid cat! You aren't getting any cheese from me!"_ he remembered about his earlier suspicions and mentally groaned, " _Have I no shame? How could I think she was doing it on purpose to seduce me? So far she'd behaved complacent and non-threatening, we have strong suspicions about her involvement in the theft so why -_ _ **why**_ _\- did I think she wanted to seduce me?! Great going Agreste!"_

Marinette was internally screaming, combusting, _dying_. Had she honestly thought he was making a _move_ on her? _Her?_ A woman who'd been coerced into trying to steal something?! She was nothing but a _criminal_ in his eyes! She was a _suspect!_ He was a policeman! A _gentleman! Of course_ it had been his cat!

Marinette mentally berated herself, taking deep breaths to calm her racing heart before she suffered a heart attack or worse.

They were both _adults!_

She could _do_ this!

Meekly, she raised her head, glancing shyly at the handsome man sitting opposite of her, only to find him already looking at her.

Marinette squeaked.

She _couldn't_ do this!

Trying to ignore the _cute_ noise, Adrien cleared his throat again, feeling like he'd swallowed a desert, "I-It…had been Plagg."

 _Smooth Agreste, smooth._

Marinette laughed nervously, playing with a strand of her hair, "Eheh, y-yeah, I mean, I thought it was." She was lying through her teeth, but there was no need for the dangerously handsome policeman before her to know that.

Adrien froze on the spot, suppressing the urge to kick himself for his overpowering stupidity, "O-of course, yes, what else would it've been aside from Plagg." He chuckled awkwardly, scratching the back of his neck, trying to find something to save his dying ass.

Marinette thought she would cut her own wrists open from the pressure of the handcuffs. Her mind was racing with things to say to break the awkward silence, until a ring on the doorbell sounded through the apartment.

The blond paused for a second before standing up, heading out of the living area into the short hallway to the door and opening it.

Marinette tried to crane her neck to catch a glimpse of who was at the door from her sitting position at the table, until something warm brushed her leg again.

Marinette pouted at the black cat, who innocently meowed and walked off.

She sighed, trying to distract herself by picking up the plates and trying to wash them.

She heard shuffling and then the door shutting, before Adrien came back, "I got your things." He carefully set the box down on the chair she'd previously occupied, respectfully keeping the box closed. She was sure if it had been any other officer, they would've looked inside, for 'safety' reasons.

Adrien caught her trying to awkwardly wash the dishes, the task more difficult with the limited amount of chain hindering her movements. He walked to her side and gently took the rag from her hands, "You don't have to clean up, don't worry about it. You, uh, you can get settled in my room, it's just to the right when you enter the hallway." He offered her a kind, reassuring smile and Marinette used all her might to not spontaneously combust before the far too handsome man.

Did he used to be in the modelling business? He certainly had a face for that.

"Tinker too!" the unexpected words made Adrien stare at her quizzically.

Marinette's eyes grew wide over her embarrassing stumble, "I-I mean, _t-thank you_!" faster than lightning, Marinette grabbed her box and rushed out of the kitchen, out of Adrien's sight.

Adrien stood rooted to the spot, hand clutching tightly to the kitchen counter while the other tiredly ran down his face.

He tried to regulate his far too irregularly beating heart, _just what was this?!_

That had been too _cute._ Did that woman try to kill him? He was an _adult_ , he shouldn't be this affected by cute sounds or reactions.

….Adrien groaned, not believing he just called Marinette cute on at least three occasions, all in his head, thankfully.

Something brushed against his legs.

Adrien looked down.

The devil's spawn looked up at him with the most innocent green eyed stare but Adrien knew Plagg better, "…What are _you_ smiling about, huh?"

The cat blinked as if thinking, before replying to his human's grumpiness, " _Meow._ "

Adrien sighed.

 **Thanks for reading!**


	63. The Beast in Her Home 2

**A/N:** I'm sorry for the delay, currently struggling with life/university...etc so it took a while longer. Hope you guys like it!

 **REVIEWS:**

For some reason, the page just displays half of each review so I can't see the full messages or usernames. I just want to say (from what I could deduce) thank you! I didn't expect the story to be liked already, I hope everyone enjoys this chapter too!

* * *

 **The Beast in Her Home Chapter 2**

It couldn't have been past three o'clock in the morning, at least that's what she thought when she first woke up to go to the bathroom and stole a glance outside at the dark night sky.

Marinette paused in her hallway to listen for any disturbances.

It was quiet.

Almost too quiet.

Marinette raised herself on her toes, as silently as possible making her way towards her living room, where she'd left the criminal to his temporary sleeping space.

Her accelerated heart beat calmed when she spotted his silhouette covered by the blanket, moving slightly in tandem with his breathing. He was still there.

Good.

She stood there in the doorway, her hand curling into a fist, her voice barely above a whisper disturbing the silence of the night, "I know you did it, but I don't have any proof yet. Once I do, you'll end up in the cell." She turned around to head back to her room, "You're nothing but a murderer, after all."

She failed to notice the green eyes staring into nothingness, fists curled and trembling beneath the pillow under his head.

Once she laid down on her bed, she tried to let sleep claim her again, but it proved difficult. She thought about the case, about everything they had so far.

Murders, thievery, arson, multiple identity thefts and forgeries, among some accounts of apparent prostitution done by criminal groups said to be associated with Chat Noir's organization.

The network was said to have spread in several cities, perhaps even countries. Perhaps Chat Noir's influence and power was greater than any of them realized, he was a wanted criminal for well over seven years. That was when the police first took notice of a series of crimes that were related, it could've been even longer since he was active.

Marinette sighed, shutting her eyes tightly closed and settling onto her back until a sudden icy sensation caused her entire body to still. The air shifted, why, she didn't know.

Tiny, pinprick needles seemed to stab every pore of her skin, her blood seemed almost frozen in her veins and the sheen of cold sweat spread out over the entirety of her body.

Something wasn't right.

When she opened her eyes, Marinette was petrified.

Toxic almost glowing green eyes stared unblinkingly into her own from above, something menacing in the way the slit pupils dilated, like a feline predator staring into the horrorstricken eyes of its prey.

Marinette tried to scream, but a gloved hand, tipped with sharp claws, settled over her mouth firmly, so tightly she couldn't breathe. Her body barely responded to her commands, she kicked, swung her arms wildly to no avail. The man remained seated atop her, each futile movement deflected like a fly and Chat Noir used more strength to press down against her mouth, nearly crushing her teeth with his hand alone.

Panic washed over her senses, her heart beating wildly as she tried to claw at his arm and get him away but all it managed to do was bring a grin to his face.

A wide, unsettling grin. All teeth. Sadistic. Cruel.

 _The look of a killer._

She began to feel dizzy, the lack of oxygen to her brain started made her movements frenzied and sloppy, the criminal atop her wasn't disturbed in the least, he calmly watched the fight slowly leave her, wild, unfocused pupils finally trained on his cold, sadistic form.

She felt the sharp claws run down her side harshly, like hot blades cutting through butter, deeply and easily, drawing blood, but all she felt was cold, so, _so cold._

 _What…_

 _No…_

 _How did…how did he remove…the handcuffs…_

 _Why…why was she…so weak…did…did-was she drugged?_

Nausea spread over her entire being, she felt encased in ice as the gaze of her killer rooted into her mind.

Those cold, menacing green eyes…

 _"_ _Sweet dreams, princess."_

Marinette's eyes widened.

 _No!_

 _N-_

Marinette jumped, body lurching forward, eyes wide and unfocused as they scanned her entire room for any sign of the shadowy demon from her nightmares.

She touched her face and sides, blindly checking for the bloody wound. Her skin was smooth, unmarred.

She was safe.

Marinette clutched desperately at her speeding heart, taking deep, measured breaths.

Was that all a dream? She wasn't afraid of the criminal sleeping on her couch, why would she be?

Marinette ran her hands down her face, the insistent buzzing of her phone only now registered.

Just who in their right mind called so early in the-

They were all from Alya.

 _"_ _Girl!"_

 _"_ _Giiiirrl! Answer your damn phone!"_

 _"_ _Are you alive!? Marinette!"_

 _"_ _Did Chat Noir do anything to you?! Oh my god, did you do anything to_ _ **him**_ _?! You know you need him alive for the investigation, right? MARINETTE DUPAINCHENG!"_

All were sent within a few second time difference of six in the morning.

Now it was 6:30am.

Alya was going to have a fit.

Hastily, Marinette's still shaky fingers typed a quick reply.

" _Hey, Alya. I'm fine, sorry I didn't answer, slept in. Be there soon."_

 _Sent._

The dark-haired woman sighed, running a hand down her face and through her hair before she took a deep breath and mentally prepared herself to confront the demon in the next room.

He was a criminal, despite what she said, she had to be wary.

Stretching and quickly hopping out of bed, she quickly changed into her work clothes, buttoning up her dress shirt and throwing on her dark blue blazer.

Grabbing her shoulder and thigh holsters, she quickly adjusted them on herself before opening her door cautiously, memories from her dream – _nightmare_ – in the back of her mind.

The living room was still dark, the blinds pulled down so sunlight didn't immediately blind her when she came in.

When Marinette turned to the right, expecting to see the still sleeping form of the criminal she was housing, her blood ran cold.

It was empty.

The couch was empty.

Blankets strewn about, no sign of Chat Noir.

Just where could he-

" _Gah!"_ a sudden force slammed into her side and her feet cleanly left the floor, body colliding straight into the armrest of the couch, a pained cry leaving her lips before her hands automatically moved to grab onto her guns.

Two hard strikes from claw-tipped hands easily disarmed her, dual guns sliding far away from her on the floor.

Marinette blinked rapidly, trying to gather her bearings when she felt painful pressure applied to her captured wrist, a dark voice promising pain whispering into her ear, "Good morning, _lieutenant._ "

That mangy _cat_!

Fueled by anger and adrenaline, Marinette quickly struck her leg out, relief washing over her when it struck him in the stomach, a sharp cough reaching her ears before she used the armrest to gain momentum, headbutting him harshly.

Chat Noir stumbled backwards, holding his head when she advanced on him, elbow successfully hitting the side of his head. She yelped in surprise when she was thrown off by the forceful shove of his legs, his weight holding her body down onto the floor.

The sight of a wide awake, glaring Chat Noir making the nightmare come back to her, "You're fast." His comment made her want to punch him, it just oozed with mockery and some sick glee from their brawl.

"And _you're_ in a breach of protocol, do you _want_ to be sent to prison that badly?" she grit her teeth, the sting of pain from her side reminding her of the damage she sustained and made her acutely aware that her weapons were out of reach.

Marinette's gaze briefly flickered to the chain still around Chat Noir's hands and that's when he lunged.

His hands went for her neck first, just like a lion to its prey, but Marinette crossed her arms and pushed his hands away, shoving against his chest and raising her leg behind him, just barely making contact with the back of his skull, but that was enough to daze him just a bit.

She quickly shoved him off her, staggering to crawl over his lap and to her discarded gun.

Marinette was proficient enough in hand to hand combat, what she didn't see coming was his incredible speed and agility that far surpassed anyone she'd ever seen move.

She was fast, but Chat Noir was faster.

She felt more than saw his body slip out from beneath her weight and felt the full brunt of his harsh body tackle on her back, clawed gloves grabbing her stretched arm, fingers just shy of grabbing the barrel of her weapon.

"Oh no, you _don't_." his hiss rang sharply in her ears when she elbowed him again and Marinette released a short cry when he roughly slammed her elbow down on the floor next to her head, effectively rendering one of her arms useless.

"…Well, well, well, who would've thought. The _purrincess_ knows how to fight." His threatening purr directly into her ear made her nerves light on fire, white hot anger racing through her veins at the thought of losing to _him_.

Princess? Did he just call her _princess_?

Marinette completely relaxed her body, her heart beating violently against her ribcage as she fought to regain her breath, "…I never thought Paris' most handsome criminal would actually harm a woman…" her voice was carefully low, a tone she detested to use but nonetheless found useful.

She hoped it would work.

She felt his shift above her, the air tense, "Tch, what are you getting at, _cop_?" his voice was full of venom, but Marinette pressed on further, raising her hips for emphasis.

She _almost_ felt bile rising in her throat, "Nothing, _kitten_." Her voice dropped a few octaves, a seductive lull and Marinette used Chat Noir's momentary confusion to attempt to headbutt him again.

It didn't connect.

"Tch, stupid woman, did you really think I'll fall for that?" his amused tone made her eye twitch in annoyance.

Still, she smiled, "No, but for this." Grabbing a hold of the ceramic bowl that had rolled out of the cupboard near her, Marinette reached her arm back and slammed it against Chat Noir's head.

She almost winced in sympathy at what pain it must've dealt.

Using his momentary stillness to her advantage, Marinette used her whole strength and weight, muscles tensing in preparation.

He was too late to react.

With a cry akin to that of a warrior heading into battle, Marinette threw the man straight into the TV and low table, shattering the screen and tough wood in the process.

A low, drawn out groan of pain broke the silence that followed and when Marinette finally staggered to her feet, she had her gun pointed at the unconscious criminal and her phone pressed against her ear.

"Yes? Good morning, could you send some backup to my house? I got into a bit of a cat fight." Marinette promptly ended the call, hissing when she shifted her weight on the wrong foot, "Bastard…ow."

Her eyes gazed over the still criminal, fully understanding she could've lost her life in the scuffle just now if it weren't for her quick thinking.

Nathaniel will eat her alive for shattering the precious bowl that laid in shambles underneath Chat Noir's body, the shards covered by the splinters of the table.

She grimaced when a thin trail of scarlet trickled down the side of the blond's head and cautiously approached the unconscious criminal, gun still poised while she leaned her body forward to inspect the wound closely.

Green eyes flew open in that second and a strong arm coiled around her waist, bringing her body forward on top of his.

Marinette immediately tensed for another fight, but she realized the grip around her waist was weaker in comparison to his earlier holds and his eyes were pained and still dazed.

"…You …" a sharp hiss, the black cat ears atop his head flat to his skull, "d-damn…" Chat Noir's eyes closed and his head fell backwards against the rubble, falling back into unconsciousness.

Marinette knew he was at the top of the criminal food chain, but even she didn't expect for him to briefly wake up now, not from all the blows she'd dealt to his head.

Nathaniel used tough materials for his creations, it wouldn't surprise her if one of them could crack open a skull.

She _really_ hoped he would forgive her for that bowl.

Marinette jumped when the door to her apartment flew open and nearly tore it off it's hinges, a loud, booming voice breaking the silence, " _Lieut.!_ "

Marinette winced, trying and failing to move in her fatigue, "…Not so loud, please."

" _Marinette!"_ a distressed, female voice sounded right after.

 _Oh shit._

"A-Alya!" Marinette weakly scrambled to move away from Chat Noir, but failed, hands slipping and accidentally cutting her palm on one of the shards on the ground, "Ouch!"

"Call for an ambulance immediately! We have two injured here!" the voices of Kim and Ivan barked orders at the uniformed people suddenly swarming her home and Marinette couldn't bring herself to care.

She just wanted to sleep.

Without further ado, Marinette leaned her head against the warm and surprisingly comfortable chest beneath her and closed her eyes.

* * *

"You look like you fought a pack of wolves." Alya's dry comment made Marinette roll her eyes.

"He's not that different. He has claws too."

 _And serious strength_. But she wasn't about to praise the enemy now, not in her condition.

She bit her tongue from yelping in pain when the doctor applied the gauze to the cut on her palm, one last time checking the large bandage wrapped around her middle.

It was an ugly sight, the skin slightly swollen where she'd hit the armrest of her couch, but no sign of bruising yet, the doctor assured her that would come later, she had bruised ribs but that was all.

"You did a number on him though." Her gaze traveled to the other end of the infirmary, two officers along with the form of the sleeping criminal made her scrunch her nose in distaste, "It's a wonder he has no concussion."

The old doctor smiled, "Indeed. He's sustained several moderate injuries, but he is surprisingly durable."

Marinette snorted, carefully pulling her shirt down and rubbing her tender limbs, "He's got a thick skull."

Alya chuckled, "As do you." The small smile vanished from her lips, "You wrote you were fine, why did you lie to me? Do you know in what kind of danger you were in? Mari, he's not some petty thief next door, he's Paris' top ranked criminal. He could've _killed_ you for fucks sake!"

While Alya was usually prone to more colorful and expressive language, it took a lot to make her swear like this, Marinette rolled her shoulder, testing its flexibility, "I didn't, I _was_ fine at the time. He ambushed me in the living room and…well this happened."

The reporter walked over to help her best friend carefully put on her blazer, "I'm glad it's just that and nothing more, you're still alive and not in a wheelchair." She sighed, "Why don't you just throw him in the cell?"

The lieutenant immediately shook her head, "I can't, he would be too much of a danger to the other criminals."

"Oh and not much of danger to _you_?! Marinette this is serious! I don't want to lay awake at night worrying if this guy choked you in your sleep or not! He needs to be locked up!" the dark haired woman regarded her seriously, before scratching her neck.

"…I'll tighten up security at home. It'll be fine. I'll have Kim and Ivan share shifts to watch over him when I go to work." Marinette was already checking the schedule on her phone until a tanned hand covered the screen.

"Marinette…" Alya's concerned eyes looked at her imploringly, willing her to understand, "I know this is your job, but don't get killed doing it."

Marinette's expression softened and she hugged her best friend tightly, feeling relieved to feel the touch of a person not out to hurt her, "Says the woman climbing on top of burning cars to get the latest scoop."

Her teasing comment was immediately met with a annoyed huff, "That was _one time_ girl! I had Alix's firefighter's helmet on!"

They broke apart and Marinette fixed her with a look, "Only because she threatened to spray you with the hose if you didn't."

The auburn haired woman rolled her eyes, smiling despite the teasing, "Alright, come on, let's get you something to eat and leave this place." She glanced briefly to the side, but quickly averted her gaze.

Before they left the infirmary, Marinette looked over her shoulder one last time.

She could've sworn she saw Chat Noir's hand twitch.

* * *

"Lieut." Marinette's head rose at the sound of her title, smiling slightly.

"Hello, what have you got for me?" she greeted her colleague, accepting the stack of files he handed her.

"Um, pardon my asking ma'am, but…" he glanced around himself, "When will the criminal be released from the infirmary?"

Marinette rose an eyebrow, "Why are you asking?"

The young man seemed to sweat as he twiddled with his fingers, "…To tell you the truth, everyone is waiting for him to leave or be locked up or be somewhere far, far away..if you know what I mean." He glanced at her nervously. She could clearly see it in his eyes.

 _Fear._

She cleared her throat, "I heard he'll be well enough to leave this afternoon."

The young man quickly nodded, excusing himself.

The lieutenant sighed, sitting back down at her desk and slaving over the paperwork, eyes scanning over the report she'd gotten.

" _…_ _It is said that the swing of his blade is like thunder – deadly, precise, burning. His movements were those of a predator, patient and smooth but foreboding and intimidating, never ceasing it's relentless pursuit of their prey. It is said the last thing his victims see and hear are the toxic green eyes and the flash of pristine fangs glinting in the moonli-"_

Marinette massaged the spot between her brows, irritation increasing tenfold, "Marc!"

A sudden crash, before the young report writer came jogging up to her, a sweet, shy smile on his face, "Yes?"

Marinette gestured to the report file in her hands, "What is this?"

Green eyes glanced at the file then back to her, "The report based on eye witnesses of Chat Noir."

"Marc this…this sounds like some crime mystery story!" she couldn't believe this had been verified, just who in their right mind-

 _Alya._

She could practically _hear_ her friend's words in her mind _, 'Sorry, girl, he's still in training.'_

"I-I'm sorry! I promise I'll try to fix it!" carefully grabbing the report from her, Marc quickly bowed his head before rushing to his own desk at the back.

She watched him go, internally debating whether to continue working on his case for today or not.

She flipped the page, his photo staring up at her, " _The look of a killer…"_ a shiver raced down her spine and Marinette tried to shake off the ghostly touch.

Movement caught her eye and she glanced up to her computer screen, her e-mail open.

She had another mail.

It was…

A message from… Marc?

With furrowed brows, she opened the message.

 _"_ _Dear Lieutenant Dupain-Cheng,_

 _I'm very sorry for the delay of the report!"_

Marinette swirled around with her chair, spotting the shivering mop of dark hair before it promptly dived behind his computer, out of sight.

She sighed.

* * *

As it turned out, Chat Noir had remained another day in the infirmary and she got forced on more check ups to confirm she hadn't sustained any more damage from the fight.

It was time to take him to her apartment again.

They must've looked quite the sight, her bandages were mostly hidden by her blazer, save for the bandage on her hand and chin.

He had a thick plaster stuck to the side of his forehead above his eye, along with more smaller plasters on his cheeks and nose.

The black suit he had worn was replaced with a dark jacket over black pants and a grey shirt with a cat on it, she had to school her features to not giggle at the sight, but the icy glare he was sporting was enough to banish any thoughts of amusement.

His legs were once again chained and she didn't think she would remove those anytime soon since the incident last morning, the normal handcuffs were replaced by tightly bound, durable cloth which she assumed wrapped his bare hands as there were no signs of any claw tips poking through the fabric.

Lastly, his neck had a thick chain and she grimaced at the sight.

He was injured and chained up and he looked like some battle-hardened stray from the streets. He almost didn't look human to her.

Marinette cleared her throat and looked at the two policemen standing on either side of Chat Noir, "Thank you for watching over him, I'll take it from here."

The men however kept a firm grip on the criminal, "We were tasked to escort you to your apartment."

Confusion washed over Marinette, "By whom?"

Wait…

"Me." The familiar male voice came from behind her and Marinette rose an eyebrow.

It was Luka Couffaine, her superior.

"Luka," she normally addressed everyone formally at the office, but working hours were over, "What's the meaning of this?"

Blue eyes narrowed, not at her, but at the man behind her, "I'm just doing my job of protecting my employees." There was a growl from behind her but she ignored it, "I'll have two officers stationed around your house Lieut. Dupain-Cheng."

Marinette frowned and took a step forward, Luka's eyes finally moving to look down at her, his icy glare softened, "Luka, I haven't gotten injured badly, you know I can keep watch over him."

His voice lowered so only she heard him, "After what happened yesterday, I can't allow to see you injured again or worse." Concern briefly flashed in his caring blue eyes, "Marinette, you know as well as I do that he's not one to mess with. It's always safer to have backup."

"But-"

Luka gently squeezed her shoulder, before moving passed her towards the captive criminal, "Chat Noir."

"Colonel Couffaine."

Both men greeted each-other with detest dripping from their voices, the tension in the room could be cut with a knife.

"I trust you'll behave like a good cat if you don't want to get beaten half to death in prison." The bold words even surprised Marinette. She knew Luka could have one hell of a mouth, but to be so deceptively calm and talk like this, it unnerved her.

A devilish grin crossed the criminal's lips, "Says the pet snake of the police force. Say, what's it like gobbling up the little rats and scoring such big prey due to a _leaked lead_?"

Luka's shoulders stiffened and Marinette braced herself, as if expecting a physical fight to break out, before Luka raised his hand and took a hold of the fake cat ears still atop Chat Noir's head, pulling roughly, "If you know what's good for you, you'll behave and listen to your master."

With that, he released him, turning his back to Chat Noir, who glared daggers at him, "I would be _carefur_ choosing your words, _snake_." the unsettling grin on his lips made a shiver run down Marinette's spine.

She'd rarely seen Luka so hostile. She looked back towards Chat Noir.

He was already looking at her.

* * *

"Thank you for escorting me, officers. I wish you a good night." Marinette smiled kindly at the two uniformed men, watching as they left and moved to stand guard at her house for their night shift.

She sighed, locking her door and turning around only to find Chat Noir already walking towards the living room, his boots already off. How he pulled them off with his feet chained, she had no idea.

After taking her own shoes off, she noticed something odd about the criminal. He was limping.

She remembered their fight yesterday, but couldn't remember striking his legs. It had all happened so fast, she wouldn't have been sure if it really did if it weren't for the bandages and the pain.

Tired from the day's work, Marinette placed a glass of water and some cookies on the table and left, shutting off the lights, leaving Chat Noir in the dark.

When she made it to her bedroom, she made sure the door was locked.

 **Thanks for reading!**


	64. The Beast in Her Home 3

**A/N: "The Beast in Her Home" is also crossposted on AO3 under the same name and on Tumblr (under lady-charinette) for those who can't read/open it here on FFnet. Also: I'll post it separately as its own story here!**

 **Prompt: Chapter 3 of "The Beast in Her Home"!**

 **Chapter 3**

A green eye slowly fluttered open, disturbed by the soft sun peeking through the half pulled down blinds, until a sudden shadow completely covered it.

Immediately, instincts kicked in.

Chat Noir, in his still sleepy mind, forgot about his chained state and did a backflip, staggering to a landing and falling backwards onto the couch, fake cat ears atop his head pulling back as he snarled into the still dark room.

Two large shadowy figures blocked the sun, standing vigilant in front of the large French windows right next to the table in the kitchen.

His skin tingled and the hairs on the back of his neck stood in warning, sensing the threat, until his eyes accustomed to the darkness and recognized the uniform of the tall cops.

Ah, that's right.

He got captured.

Tense muscles slowly, reluctantly relaxing, he leaned back, ears still perched forward, eyes glued to the two men outside. It was still too dark to see their faces, but he didn't need to, he could sense their contempt as they kept watch over him.

He'd heard while pretending to sleep in his stay in the infirmary, that the woman would be assigned two additional officers around her house. Thankfully, they weren't inside, otherwise he would go insane. The woman was bad enough.

Gods, that _woman._

He snarled aloud, causing one of the officers to shift his weight, whether in uneasiness from the distinctively feline noise or at attention, he didn't know.

Chat Noir sighed, shaking his head, hissing at the lack of movement of his whole body. He could barely spread his feet as wide as his waist, his hands were bound tightly with some form of durable cloth, without his gloves. It felt odd feeling something other than the assuring, protective leather he usually wore, adorned with lethal claws at the tips.

He wiggled his fingers, testing their movement and clicked his tongue in distaste.

They really chained him up like a dog.

Not even the woman released his neck and leg cuffs, she'd obviously learned from their scuffle just two days ago. He'd really thought he could easily knock her out and escape, but she proved to be more than he expected.

He rarely ever underestimated his enemies, but he hadn't expected someone of her caliber to be on the side of justice. She would look good in his ranks.

He suddenly remembered her little trick during their scuffle, when he had the edge while towering over her.

She'd tried using honeyed words and seductive tones to catch him off guard, as if he was just any hotblooded male off the street.

 _Tch_.

He had much more refined tastes.

…Though he couldn't quite deny she wasn't good-looking. At least a bit. He still had eyes, he could admit to that.

Chat Noir shook his head, craning his neck and easing the tense muscles, once again training his gaze on the two figures shrouded in darkness at the windows.

Security may have tightened up just a bit, with him fully bound and the presence of the two additional officers, but if enough time passed, one of his men would find him here and free him.

He was sure Hawkmoth would try to overthrow his units, but the insect wouldn't dare if he knew what was good for him. He had too many loyal followers to simply change leaders overnight. It would either get Hawkmoth killed in his thirst for power or kicked out. Either way, without manpower, Hawkmoth shouldn't pose too much of a threat, since his forte lied in emotional manipulation. As long as he had no people in emotional turmoil near him, he was virtually harmless. However, his greatest weapon was that of emotions, he was like a bloodhound, sniffing out any weak link and mercilessly exploiting said weaknesses and use it to his advantage, shattering any emotional defenses the person had.

Chat Noir sighed, he would worry about that after he got out of here.

His gaze moved from the two officers to the empty plate and glass on the table.

He remembered how the woman left it here last night before going to bed and locking her bedroom door. He didn't know why, he thought at first she might have poisoned it or put some funny drug in it to mess with his senses, but after carefully sniffing it and deducing it didn't smell suspicious, he swallowed the (thankfully) small cut pieces of fluffy bread and managed to slowly clench the glass in-between his teeth and tilt it slowly towards his mouth and swallow down the water.

At times, he was thankful for his survival skills. They came in handy every once in a while.

Still, he pondered why she would offer him such courtesy after injuring her in their skirmish. She could pretend all she wanted, but it didn't go unnoticed by him, how she slightly favored her side or rubbed her arms every now and then.

He knew he was needed alive for their little investigation, but for all she was concerned, she could've just given him some food or vitamin pills, that would sustain him.

He shook his head, hissing at the sharp pain shooting through his skull.

Ah, right, he didn't forget the injuries she inflicted on _him_. He was thankful he grew up in a rough environment, otherwise his skull would've split open from the many blows she'd dealt it.

Not to mention that _clawful_ bowl. Just _who_ in their right mind even made them so _hard_? Those things could kill a person!

In his distracted thoughts, Chat Noir only noticed the passage of time when more and more sunrays entered through the gaps between the blinds, bathing the room in soft, warm colors. It felt good seeing something else other than the pitch black of the darkness or the stark white of the infirmary he'd been in.

His teeth clenched at the memory, not the infirmary in particular, but the snake he'd met there.

He hadn't thought Couffaine was in charge of the unit here in Paris, last he heard, he was off somewhere in Ireland tracking one of the false leads he'd set up. The snake was more cunning than he thought, it only took a few months until the bastard came back, instead of the two till three years it should've took. He was a pesky thorn in his side, but not a serious threat, the man was far too cautious to simply storm what he suspected to be one of his main 'dens', as the snake liked to call his hideouts, to really pose a danger to his operations.

 _"_ _Hm, seems like the snake shed some of his old skin too."_ He thought with a bitter aftertaste in his mouth. Chat Noir didn't miss the way the man's expression softened when he'd looked at the lady cop in the infirmary, he also didn't fail to notice how she immediately addressed him by his first name instead of rank or last name. Nor the way the former marine had become directly hostile to him either. He usually refrained from crass language or getting physical since his time in the marines, to think he would be swayed by that woman…

Chat Noir took a breath and dispelled his earlier thoughts, once again turning his attention to the two buffoons outside.

He could slightly make out their eyes due to the sunlight outside, signaling the arrival of morning. To fight his increasing boredom and restlessness, he settled back against the soft cushioning of the couch and opted to stare at them intently.

One of them shifted slightly.

Chat Noir could do this all day.

* * *

She had been staring at the ceiling since the first rays of sunshine peeking through into her bedroom.

That had been at around 5:30am.

Now it was roughly 7am.

Marinette turned restlessly, hissing through her teeth when she accidentally rolled onto her bad side, the one with a still forming purplish-blue hue on her ribs.

Curse that cat.

He was evil incarnate.

Very briefly, she wondered if he ate the food she left him and drank the water, but then quickly dismissed her thoughts. She shouldn't care, he was a criminal, she knew she was supposed to treat him as an innocent until he was officially declared guilty, but Marinette couldn't let that settle well with her, especially since she re-read cases connected to him and his lackeys in the past.

The only horrible things he _hadn't_ done were rape, child abuse and human trafficking, at least it hadn't been documented. She was immensely grateful she wasn't housing a child molester or rapist, she could stomach anything else, but these particular brand of criminals _always_ left a acidic aftertaste in her mouth and made her want to punch them on sight or worse.

Those cases, she left for her colleagues dealing with sexual assault, while they also got a few cases involving pedophiles and the like, they were thankfully small in number and usually taken over by the colleagues of the SVU.

Marinette checked her phone, replying quickly to Alya's messages asking if she was alright and alive.

She rolled her eyes at several of them.

 _"_ _I'm not sure if I have to ask if you're alive or him after what happened on Monday." 7:00am_

 _"_ _I hope you locked him up in the basement." 7:00am_

 _"_ _Girl, I'm serious, don't force me to leave the team and check up on that monster myself." 7:01am_

Marinette typed back, " _One, I don't have a basement and two, it's against human rights to lock somebody up against their will and it's called false imprisonment, Alya."_

The reporter must've been on break or out of the office because she replied in seconds.

 _"_ _You're a cop, girl! Break the law a little!" 7.01am_

Marinette sighed, shaking her head, " _And you're a reporter working with the police! Don't worry Alya, he's restrained and I locked my bedroom door, it's fine, I'm getting ready for work now. Bye."_

She waited for several beats, getting another parting message from Alya before she placed her phone on her night desk, getting out of bed and putting on her work clothes.

Marinette watched the door a little too long, taking a breath and undoing the lock, hearing the click before she finally swung open the door.

It was quiet again and Marinette's instincts tingled, a familiar feeling welling in the pit of her stomach. It reminded her of Monday, before Chat Noir ambushed her.

Fighting off the phantom pain spreading through her abdomen, Marinette carefully neared her living room.

Marinette nearly jumped at the sight of two large men right in front of the large double windows, staring straight at Chat Noir.

When she turned to look at the criminal, he was sitting quietly on the couch, staring straight back.

"…What's…going on?" she didn't know if she should be worried or relieved.

The blond's tone was clipped, as if he was already losing his patience, "They've been here the whole night, at some point they switched guard dogs." The term he used to refer to her colleagues slightly irked her, but she let it slide in favor of a peaceful morning.

If one could have that with a dangerous criminal in the house.

When Marinette threw a second glance at the officers outside, she recognized them, "Kim! Ivan!"

Kim the slightly smaller of the two, gave her a friendly wave. Marinette immediately opened the window, "You were sent here for watch?"

It was Kim that answered, Ivan was still holding a staredown with Chat Noir, "Hey boss. Yup, pretty much. We overheard Luka mentioning guard duty for your house, so we signed up." Kim scratched the back of his neck, "Though I gotta admit, staring at this guy the entire night wasn't a pleasure." He jabbed his thumb in the direction of the still glaring criminal.

Marinette understood where he was coming from, she would've gouged her eyes out if she'd been forced to stare at him for so long too, "Hey, why don't you call it a day and send in for two other officers? I'll just grab a quick bite to eat and head off to work." Marinette paused briefly, "You guys want something to eat too?"

Ivan finally broken his stare down with Chat Noir to smile down at her, "No, thanks Marinette. We're good."

Marinette just heard Kim complain about not accepting her offer just as she slid the window closed. She had to smile before she set to work on fixing a quick, lighthearted meal.

She was making scrambled eggs and fixing herself some cereal for breakfast. Once the eggs were done, she slid them onto a plate to cool.

She ate her cereal quickly, eyes alternating between watching the clock and the man sitting quietly on the couch.

Chat Noir was silent, oddly docile since their scuffle on Monday. He reminded her of a stray laying low on the streets and nursing its wounds after a fight with other cats. She supposed she did the same, interacting with him only when strictly necessary.

Still, the fact that the only thing he ate since last night was a glass of water and bread spread with butter didn't sit well with her. He was bound to be hungry.

Mentally steeling herself, Marinette grabbed fork and plate and carefully walked towards the male.

She made sure her footsteps were light and slow as to not startle him, she didn't know if his silence was from exhaustion or from being lost in thoughts, whatever it was, the last thing she wanted was to provoke a hostile response.

She slowly settled on the low coffee table opposite of him, balancing the plate with steaming scrambled eggs on her lap and stabbing them with the fork, lifting it and gently blowing on it before presenting it to his face.

Chat Noir stared at the fork, then the glaring green eyes moved to meet hers, "No."

She couldn't stop the eye roll even if she wanted to, "You're hungry."

He snorted in disbelief, "How would you know, cop?"

"You only ate bread from yesterday, _cat_ , so you're bound to be hungry by now." She tried reigning in her anger, but it was bubbling just beneath the surface, waiting to come out and tear the jerk to shreds. He was a criminal, but not even criminals could ignore basic needs for long.

He scoffed again and turned his head defiantly.

He was even more difficult to deal with than the government.

"Look, I can't take these restraints off you so…either you eat like a real cat or we make this quick, Chat Noir." The use of his name made him glance at her briefly, but he returned to stubbornly stare at some spot away from her.

She waited for seconds, minutes, patience running thin, until he finally turned his head towards her, jaw set, shoulders straight, eyes narrowed.

He shifted, moving closer towards her and bending his long legs to minimize the distance and chances of making a mess while eating.

They both jumped when their knees suddenly touched and Chat Noir hissed in warning when she almost poked his eye with the fork, "You startled me."

She wanted to point out that he jumped too, but refrained and succumbed to her demise, guiding the fork into his mouth.

It was after the third fork that she grimaced, "Can you _not_ glare at me while you're eating?" she stabbed at the yellowy food, lifting the fork near his face again.

He chewed, a devious smirk stretching his lips once he swallowed, "Why? Am I making you _nervous_?"

Another eyeroll, "Just shut up and stop looking at me like that."

He didn't.

 _What a jerk._

His glare softened after some time, but his intense look remained, watching her as if she'd disappear any minute.

She heard snickers and turned around.

Ivan and Kim were both chuckling at them, Ivan was more restrained and tried being serious, but Kim was covering his mouth with one hand to try and curb his laughing.

Marinette sent them both a glare and when she turned back around to continue feeding the man before her, Chat Noir was glaring daggers at the duo.

"Hey, lieutenant would it be illegal to-mpff!" she shoved the last pieces of eggs into his mouth, ending what would undeniably be a death threat towards her friends.

He glared at her and she nearly tripped over the stretched leg that suspiciously blocked her path. She returned his glare tenfold, both parties staring each-other down, "Don't even think about it, cat."

"It would look like an accident."

" _No._ " what was she _doing_? Why was the criminal so casual? He must have something planned. She wouldn't let herself get swayed by casual banter.

A sigh from behind made Marinette briefly stop rinsing off residue bubbles from the now clean plate and glance behind her. Chat Noir was staring at the ground as if lost in thought.

Was he plotting?

She didn't want a repeat of Monday morning, so she had to be on guard. Like Alya said, she didn't have just _any_ criminal in her house.

She was thankful for the additional restrains, in hindsight it was foolish of her to have removed them. Personal feelings didn't matter on the job, she wouldn't do the same mistake twice, even if she winced at the sight of the neck collar.

 _It wasn't right_ , her heart whispered to her, but she knew what he had done to all those people hadn't been right either.

It had been wrong, Chat Noir was a criminal and now he was paying the price for his sins.

Marinette told herself this over and over, watching him stare almost emptily into a spot, the thick metal collar around his neck dehumanizing him and making him look like a feral animal robbed of its freedom.

She hardened her heart when he briefly glanced at her, his menacing, green eyes reminded her of her nightmare a few days ago.

Marinette slammed the front door shut and locked it, the guns holstered to her reassuring her.

* * *

The two guards finally left with the woman and he exhaled heavily, the heavy tension that had seeped into every pore of his body finally leaving.

All eyes were gone, for now. He knew the woman wasn't a fool, she would send for two other officers as soon as she reached the precinct.

Chat Noir stood to his full height, the heavy chains around his wrists, neck and feet made him feel heavier than he was but he would have to bear with them for a while longer. He would need to look for exits.

The French windows were double locked, from outside and inside, one of the guards must've done it. Without his suit and his hands restrained, it was impossible to break through.

He walked towards the small storage room opposite of the woman's bedroom, eyes quickly adjusting to the darkness and trying to find something to rip the cloth binding his wrists.

Nothing.

Most items were harmless, heavier things he could use were too large to handle without free hands.

He stopped in front of the bedroom door, sighing and rolling his shoulders. The blond leaned forward and pressed his bound hands down on the doorknob.

It didn't budge.

He cursed under his breath, accidentally throwing one leg forward and making him slam into the door, rustling it but not breaking the lock. He groaned in pain, turning so his back was leaning into the smooth surface, biting his lip at the sharp pain in his skull and body, still healing from the injuries.

He stared up at the ceiling, trying to remember how long it's been since his capture.

A week.

Not even a full week.

His men would still be in hiding, they wouldn't start looking for him until at least a month passed until police activity died down.

He leaned his head back and sighed, feeling the stress feeding off his aggravation. He had to go back to his men, rival gangs would jump at the opportunity of Paris' number one criminal in chains and unable to defend his group.

He had capable men, women who could take down opponents twice their size, but in the long run, networks better equipped than most government bodies, but people were lost without a leader.

He pushed himself off the door, silently vowing to bide his time until another opportunity arose to escape. He couldn't underestimate the woman anymore, she proved a worthy opponent. He was glad his head was so thick and body well acquainted from many battles, those blows she dealt him could've incapacitated most others.

Chat Noir allowed a small smirk to grace his lips.

She _would_ look good among his ranks.

* * *

"Lieutenant Dupaincheng?" Marinette lifted her head tiredly, eyes blinking up at dark blue tipped hair.

"Yes, Colonel Couffaine?" she sat up straighter, willing her tiredness to go away.

Luka watched her carefully, noting the tired sag of her shoulders, "You look tired. Is the criminal giving you trouble?"

Thinking back onto their small ordeal with breakfast, Marinette wrinkled her nose, "No, he's… behaved." She remembered back to the infirmary, when Luka came in, "Could we speak in private?"

He gestured towards his office, "Of course."

Bracing herself, Marinette followed Luka towards his office, feeling eyes on her back but ignoring them, smiling when he opened the door for her.

She was glad the blinds were already pulled down, she didn't like prying eyes, especially not if the information Luka would give her was possibly personal.

The tall man casually leaned against the wall, waiting expectantly, "You wanted to talk, Marinette?" his tone was softer, more comfortable with them alone.

Marinette bit her lip, thinking back on the harsh words Luka had uttered towards Chat Noir, "The other day…when Chat Noir was released from the infirmary," recognition dawned in his eyes but otherwise there was no reaction, "It looked like you…have met him before." Marinette had to choose her words carefully, she didn't want to offend him.

There was a long minute of silence before Luka rubbed the back of his neck, his voice quiet but even, "You…could say that." Something hardened in his normally kind blue eyes, "We met briefly, back when I used to be in the marine corps. I thought he was in the military too, since his skills were on par with my own training after he got into a brawl with one of my friends in the corp. As it turned out, he'd been building his criminal followings, not only petty thieves but skilled fighters, murderers, people with little regard to life." His face scrunched in worry, "I don't know what he did before, but he'd been on the streets a while when we met. I didn't know of his criminal background, until I heard it on the news. After finishing my military service, I ended up being the one tracking him for years."

Marinette swallowed, fingers twitching, "So you…you weren't friends or the like?" she felt oddly nervous even asking, to think someone like Luka could have criminal acquaintances.

The man snorted in amusement, "More like a cat and dog, though he insists on calling me a 'snake'." He smirked until the smile fell when his eyes settled on Marinette, "Always be on guard with him, he'll use every chance he gets to stab you in the back. Don't forget that Marinette. It's…not safe to be involved with him."

The young lieutenant nodded, trying to wrap her head around the fact Chat Noir could possibly have military training, which made his earlier words somewhat logical. She had thought he was possibly overconfident with his skills, but the fact he managed to nearly overpower her, _handcuffed_ , showed he was not to be trifled with.

It may go against her personal morals to keep his neck and feet chained, but in her line of work, it was sometimes required.

Most of the time, those who wear those chains aren't human anymore.

She thought the same of Chat Noir.

* * *

Marinette exhaled loudly once she stretched in front of the precinct, Alya watching her with an amused smile, "Tired?"

She rubbed her back, "Not really…I mean, maybe just a little."

The reporter hummed as they began to walk towards their cars, "Wouldn't surprise me, you sleep with the devil in your house, after all."

The dark-haired woman shrugged half-heartedly, "He's not…" she bit her lip, "Can't argue there."

Alya turned to her best friend just before she could take out her car keys, "Just remember, this is your _job_ , girl, not your _life_. If he tries anything funny again, throw him in the damn cell. I don't want to see you laying on that bed in the infirmary again, okay?"

"Alya, I _know_. Don't worry, he's as restrained as he could be. The only thing he lacks is a muzzle." She noticed the look on the reporter's face, " _No_ , Alya."

The curvaceous reporter sighed in exasperation, " _Fine_ , fine…but if he _does_ do something-"

Marinette rolled her eyes, "- _then_ you can buy a muzzle."

"-Then I _will_ buy a muzzle." Alya repeated, both women shaking their heads and laughing at their silliness.

They bid each-other goodbye, Marinette opening her car and getting in, buckling up and checking her phone before she drove off.

A message from Luka.

 _"_ _Hey, I know you're off to home but just a reminder – be careful, okay? I was really worried when you were in the infirmary." 14:40pm_

Marinette smiled, feeling warmth rush through her before she typed back a reply, " _That's really sweet of you Luka, but I'm fine, I promise. I'll be more careful from now on, so stop worrying so much."_

She hit send and not even a full two minutes later did a reply come back.

" _You know I can't help but worry, especially if it's you, Ma-Ma-Marinette." 14.41pm_

Marinette covered her face, feelings of annoyance and fondness waging a war within her, before she furiously typed a reply.

 _Send._

* * *

Luka accepted the new stack of documents from his colleague, thanking the man for his hard work before his phone beeped with Marinette's ringtone.

A new message.

His heart fluttered when he read it.

" _You'll never let me live that down will you? Well, guess we're even then, because I always worry about you."_

He ran a hand down his face, trying to stop his heart from making somersaults.

This adorable woman was going to be the death of him.

* * *

Marinette had hummed the entire drive towards home, humming a senseless tune to pass the time, until finally her apartment came into view.

When she entered the parking space, she had a weird inkling feeling. As if something had happened.

Checking her guns again, Marinette exited her car, locking it and walking towards the door.

She stopped, carefully looking at the lock.

There were supposed to be two guards from the police here, but she couldn't see them anywhere. The lock didn't seem picked, there were no scratches or any other traces of a violent entry.

She took a deep breath and unlocked her door, keeping one hand resting above her gun.

Two pairs of shoes were in front of her door and her eyes narrowed.

Wait…

Those shoes seemed familiar…

"Welcome home, Marinette." A sweet voice called from the living room and Marinette's eyes flew open.

No, it couldn't be-

Marinette dropped her bag in the hallway and kicked off her shoes quickly, rushing towards the living room.

Chat Noir was still sitting where she'd left him, on the couch, only now his posture was much more rigid, as straight as an arrow. The fake black cat ears were drawn back flat against his messy blond hair, lips curled into a snarl and eyes narrowed in a glare Marinette was glad wasn't directed at her.

It was directed at the other two people in the room.

The redhaired woman smiled calmly, reassuringly when she looked at the dumbstruck lieutenant, "Hi Marinette, I'm sorry for dropping by so unannounced, we heard Chat Noir was here."

The dark haired male next to the woman smirked, green eyes an even brighter color than those of Chat Noir, almost glowing, "We heard a little kitten was here all alone."

Chat Noir growled.

 **Thanks for reading!**


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